Two-factor authentication (2FA): via SMS or email

Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of protection to your login: in addition to your email and password, you have to enter a 6-digit code. You choose where you receive that code: SMS on your mobile phone or the email of your account. That way, even if someone finds out your password, they can't get in without your phone or your mailbox.

How an administrator turns it on

The 2FA requirement is set per account and applies to all of its users. Only account administrators can change it.

Go to Account settings.
Go to the Security section.
Under Require two-factor authentication (2FA), select Required for all users.

From then on, all users of the account will go through 2FA at their next login.

What happens at the first login after turning it on

Cloud Chat asks where you want to receive the verification codes:

SMS on your mobile phone — enter the number (the field formats it as you type; you can type just the digits, like 11999999999), receive the SMS with the 6-digit code and enter it to confirm the number.

Email — the codes arrive at the email of this account, with no phone number required. Note the warning on the screen: without a registered mobile phone, if you forget your password only your account administrator can reset it. If you prefer to have both options, click Add a phone anyway.

If you already had a verified mobile number, this step is skipped — Cloud Chat goes straight to asking for the code.

On the following logins

After entering your email and password, the code field appears. The code is sent through your current channel (SMS or email). The SMS arrives in a few seconds; the email comes from [email protected] with the subject "Your Cloud Humans verification code".

If the code doesn't arrive, use the Resend code button. It becomes available after 60 seconds — this wait exists to avoid duplicate sends, which make it confusing to know which code is the valid one.

Receiving the code through the other channel

Below Resend code you'll see Receive the code by email or Receive the code by SMS. When you click it, the previous code stops being valid and a new one is sent through the other channel. The choice is saved: on your next logins the code already comes through that channel.

The link only appears when the other channel is verified (confirmed phone or the account email).
You can switch at most twice in the same login.

I didn't get the code. What should I do?

By SMS, try this order:

Check that the number is correct, including the area code.
Wait up to a minute. Delivery depends on the carrier and may be delayed.
Use Resend code when the counter reaches zero. The code from the most recent SMS is always the valid one.
Check your phone's signal. With no signal, the carrier can't deliver the SMS.

Today, SMS sending works for Brazilian mobile numbers. If your phone is from another country, use email as your channel.

By email:

Look for "Your Cloud Humans verification code" in your spam / junk folder.
If your company has an antispam or email firewall, whitelist the sender [email protected].
Use Resend code when the counter reaches zero.

If one channel isn't working and the other one is verified, click Receive the code by email or Receive the code by SMS.

Changing the channel or the phone from your profile

Under Profile settings → Two-factor authentication you see your current channel and the registered phone (verified or not), and you can:

Receive by email / Receive by SMS — changes the channel for your next logins.
Add or change phone — until the new number is confirmed, the codes go to your email.

Every change asks for your password and a code through your current channel.

I lost my phone or changed my number

If your email is verified, click Receive the code by email on the code screen and log in normally. Then change the phone under Profile settings → Two-factor authentication.
If there is no other channel available, open a ticket with support: a super administrator resets your second factor (SMS and email) and, at your next login, Cloud Chat asks you to choose a channel again.
An account administrator can also update a user's phone number under Settings → Agents → edit agent. In that case, the new number starts receiving the codes at the next login.

If you only changed devices but kept the same number, nothing changes: the SMS keeps arriving at the same number.

I entered the code and got an error

The messages tell you what happened:

"Invalid code" — the code is wrong or has expired. Request a new one with Resend code.
"Too many attempts" — a temporary block after several wrong attempts. Wait a few minutes before trying again.
"Your session has expired" — the login screen was left open for too long. Log in again from the start.
"You've already switched channels twice in this login" — use the last code you received or log in again.
"This channel isn't available for your account" — the other channel isn't verified. Continue with the current one.

I forgot my password and I have 2FA enabled

Use Forgot your password? on the login screen. Where the reset code goes depends on your 2FA channel:

SMS channel — the code arrives by email, with the subject "Reset your Cloud Humans password".
Email channel, with a verified phone — the code arrives by SMS.
Email channel, no phone — you receive an email telling you to contact your account administrator. Ask the administrator for a temporary password under Settings → Agents.

The full walkthrough is in How to Reset/Change Your Password on Cloud Chat.

Frequently asked questions

Does 2FA apply to all users of the account?
Yes. When the administrator marks it as required, the requirement applies to everyone, including administrators.

I'm in more than one account. Do I need to set it up in each one?
No. The second factor is tied to your user, not to the account. If one of your accounts requires 2FA, you'll start entering the code on all of your logins, including on accounts that don't require it.

The administrator turned off the requirement. Do I stop doing 2FA?
Not automatically. Anyone who has already set up the second factor keeps using the code at login. To remove it, a reset by the super administrator is required, via a support ticket.

Can I use email instead of SMS?
Yes. Choose it at your first login, or switch on the code screen (Receive the code by email) or under Profile settings → Two-factor authentication.

Do administrators need a registered phone?
No. Administrators can also use email as their second factor.

Can I use an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Authy)?
Not yet. In this version the channels are SMS and email.

Can a code be used more than once?
No. Each code is valid for one login and expires within a few minutes.

Does the SMS cost me anything?
No. Sending is paid for by the platform. Receiving charges, if your phone plan has any, follow your carrier's rules.