These days, most services with login credentials offer some kind of extra protection. And it’s not talked enough about the importance of 2-Step Verification considering big parts of our lives are stored in the digital form online. Be that any social network, bank app, email account, or million other things — keeping it away from hackers is essential for obvious reasons.
This applies to Google accounts that are, especially if you use Gmail and have an Android phone, of great significance. However, some users just plain dislike 2-Step Verification and want it gone. If you want to learn how to disable 2-Step Verification for Google Account and what are possible risks, continue reading.
How to turn off 2-Step Verification on Google Account and Gmail
You can turn off 2-Step Verification on the My Account Management page on any device that has access to the internet and can use a browser. All you need to do is to sign in and locate 2-Step Verification under Security. Although we don’t suggest that. Learn why below.
Why you shouldn’t disable 2-Step Verification
Before you turn off 2-Step Verification for your Google Account or Gmail, we highly suggest reconsidering the importance of this security measure. Based on reports, since Google started incorporating 2-Step Verification by default, the number of users with hacked accounts dropped significantly. Believe it or not, almost 50% fewer instances of stolen accounts.
Don’t forget that you can set a list of devices you trust so you won’t get prompts to verify your account on them. This will eliminate the need to check your phone or look for codes every time you try to sign in or make changes to your Google Account.
In order for someone to illegally gain access to your account with 2-Step Verification, they’ll need to gain access to additional information. Not to mention that the SMS/Google Prompt require access to your mobile phone (unlocked, at that) which is highly unlikely to happen.
In addition, if you dislike one 2-Step Verification method, you have a few options to choose from. You don’t need to have your phone on you at all times with Backup codes or Security keys. With backup codes, you get 10 randomly generated codes to use as the sign-in method. Security keys can be assigned to a USB or NFC tag.
Sacrificing security for a bit of convenience is not the best idea in this day and age. But, at the end of the day, it’s your choice and you can do as you, please. A good practice is to change your password frequently. So, that’s a good way to work around authentication methods and keep your account safe.
How to turn off 2-Step Verification for Google Account
On the other hand, we can see why some people don’t want to use 2-Step Verification for certain accounts. If you need to sign in and sign out on a work PC or some similar scenario, 2-Step Verification can get tiring.
Here’s how to turn off Google 2-Step Verification:
- Navigate to your Google Account Management page.
- Sign in if necessary.
- Select Security from the left pane.
- In the Sign in to Google section, click or tap on 2-Step Verification.
- Enter your credentials once again.
- Click or tap Turn off at the top of the page. This will disable 2-Step Verification for this Google Account and applies to Gmail, as well.
And that’s it. You can always go back and re-enable this feature or tweak verification methods in the same place. And, with that said, we can conclude this article, and thank you for reading. What made you decide to ditch 2-Step Verification? Tell us in the comments section below.
Editor’s note: This article was initially published in February 2022. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.
