Instagram finally adds two-factor authentication

Your Instagram selfies just got a lot more secure. The photo-sharing service this week confirmed it will be rolling out two-factor authentication in the coming days and weeks, making it much more difficult for people to break into your account.

Most big social media services already offer two-factor support, so it’s nice to see Instagram, a company owned by Facebook, finally catch up.

If you’ve never used two-factor authentication, it works like this: Once you enter your login information, Instagram will text you a single-use code, which you then input to sign into your account. With the feature turned on, even if someone manages to get your username and password, they’ll have a hell of a time getting their hands on the code sent to your phone.

It’s not a fool-proof plan, but it’s a helpful way to deter thieves from ruining your precious social media presence. Instagram confirmed the feature will roll out in stages, so if you don’t see it now, it should arrive in due time.