eBay 2FA: How to Set Up an Authenticator App
Your eBay account holds your purchases, listings, addresses and payment details, so it's worth protecting beyond a password. eBay calls the feature 2 Step Verification and lets you confirm sign-ins with a one-time passcode from an authenticator app, which eBay describes as more secure than SMS, voice or email codes. Authenticator App - Novaz works for it.
Your eBay account stores addresses, order history, and sometimes saved cards, which makes it a common target. Besides an authenticator app, eBay also offers SMS text codes and a proprietary app. An authenticator app (TOTP) is usually the best balance of security and convenience — and it's safer than SMS codes, which can be intercepted through SIM-swap attacks.
2FA methods eBay supports
- SMS text message
- Authenticator app (TOTP)
- Proprietary app
Before you start
- Your eBay email or username and password
- An up-to-date email address and phone number on your eBay account: eBay recommends them as a backup, and you'll need one of them to verify yourself before moving the authenticator app to a new phone
- Authenticator App - Novaz installed on your iPhone or iPad
- eBay open in a web browser, ideally on a computer, so the QR code is on a different screen from your phone
Part 1: Turn on 2FA in eBay
- 1
Open Account settings
Sign in to your eBay account. Select your name in the top left-hand corner and choose "Account settings" from the dropdown menu.
- 2
Go to Sign in and security
Select "Sign in and security", then select "Edit" next to 2 Step Verification.
- 3
Choose Authenticator App
Select "Authenticator App". eBay shows a QR code to add eBay to your authenticator app. Keep the page open.
Part 2: Add eBay to Authenticator App - Novaz
- 4
Add eBay in Authenticator App - Novaz
Open Authenticator App - Novaz, tap the + button and scan the QR code on the eBay page. Check the account name, then tap "Save".
- 5
Note the 6-digit code
Authenticator App - Novaz now shows a 6-digit code for eBay. It changes every 30 seconds, so have it ready for the next step.
Part 3: Confirm and finish
- 6
Confirm the code on eBay
Back on eBay, enter the 6-digit code generated by Authenticator App - Novaz to confirm. eBay also emails you when 2 Step Verification is switched on or off.
- 7
Remember your own devices
The next time you sign in, eBay asks for the code from Authenticator App - Novaz. If you see "Remember this device", select it to add a trusted device: eBay may not ask for 2 Step Verification there next time. You can add up to 100 trusted devices.
- 8
Save a way to recover your account
If eBay offers backup or recovery codes, download them or write them down and store them somewhere safe. They are how you get back into your account if you ever lose your phone. If it doesn't, check how eBay recovers accounts before you need it.
If something goes wrong
- eBay rejects the code: make sure your iPhone sets its date and time automatically (Settings > General > Date & Time), then enter the newest code.
- 2 Step Verification is already on with SMS or the eBay app: follow the same steps ("Sign in and security" > "Edit" next to 2 Step Verification) to change the method to "Authenticator App".
- eBay asks for 2 Step Verification on a device you trusted: changing your 2 Step Verification method or removing a trusted device means adding it again with "Remember this device".
- An emailed or texted code says it's invalid: stay on the sign-in page until it arrives, because leaving, closing or going back revokes the old code. Codes expire after 15 minutes, so check your spam folder and your phone signal.
Checked against eBay's own help pages on September 25, 2026. Menu names can change, so these pages have the current path:
How to recover your eBay account
eBay's help pages don't describe backup codes for 2 Step Verification. Instead, eBay uses the email address and phone number on your account as backup methods: if you buy a new phone or lose your current one, you'll be asked to verify with one of them before you set up the authenticator app again on the new device. That's why eBay recommends keeping both up to date before you rely on an authenticator app. eBay's help doesn't describe a route for when you can't use either backup method. If you can't sign in, or anything on your account has changed without your permission, contact eBay through eBay Help.
Frequently asked questions
- Which 2 Step Verification methods does eBay offer?
- A push notification in the eBay app, a code sent by SMS, or a one-time passcode from an authenticator app. eBay describes the authenticator app as more secure than SMS, voice and email codes.
- Which authenticator app should I use with eBay?
- eBay says you can use any authenticator app and names Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator and Authy as recommendations. Authenticator App - Novaz generates the same time-based 6-digit codes.
- Can I set this up in the eBay app?
- eBay's help describes the authenticator app setup on the website. In the eBay app, the 2 Step Verification page is under My eBay > "Settings" > "Sign in and security", where eBay's help describes turning on app notifications.
- I use multi-user account access. Does each user need their own setup?
- Yes. eBay recommends that every user account on a seller's multi-user account access turns on 2 Step Verification with "Authenticator app" using their own login credentials.
Generate your eBay codes in Authenticator App - Novaz
Free, offline, and encrypted. One tap for every 6-digit code.
Get the appMore Shopping guides
Novaz is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by eBay. eBay and its logo are trademarks of their respective owner and are used here for identification only.



