They need no batteries, they are tiny like a regular USB thumb drive but also rigid. The USB security keys require no software and they are compatible with Windows, Mac, Chrome OS and Linux computers. Internally, the key generates the codes that are sent to Google servers and you are logged in. The lights will blink on the device, you need to tap it once and it will instantly log you into the account. Simply open the Google login page, type in your username & password, click the Sign-in button and then insert the USB key. Once registered, you can use your USB security key to log into your Google Account from any other desktop or laptop computer without requiring the mobile phone. Here click the Register Device button and then insert the USB key into the computer to attach it to your account. Go to, click on 2-step verification and then switch to the Security Keys tab. I am using the least-expensive Yubico key though there are more options to choose from. The first stop is to associate the USB security key with your Google Account. Google 2-factor Authentication Simplified The option works for both Google and Google Apps accounts and you don’t even need the mobile phone - watch video demo. Instead of generating the verification codes on a mobile phone, you can use a hardware based authenticator that can be inserted into a USB port on your computer and you’ll be signed-in automatically without having to hand-type the digits. There’s another option that makes the process of logging into a 2-factor enabled account Google less cumbersome. The latter option however will not work if the mobile phone associated with your account is outside the coverage area (like when you are in a foreign country). The verification codes required for logging into a 2-step enabled account can be generated either using a mobile app - like Authy or Google Authenticator - or you can have them sent to your mobile phone via a text message or a voice call. Once you enable two-factor authentication, a malicious person will not be able to log into your online account even if they know the password - they’ll need access to your mobile phone as well to get in. Most big-name web services like Gmail, Microsoft, Evernote, WordPress and Dropbox now support 2-step authentication to improve the security of your online accounts.
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