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We all know the rules for keeping our passwords secure:
- Don’t use the same password for all of your accounts
- Change your passwords frequently
- Use random letters, characters and numbers
- Include capital letters
- Make your password at least 8 characters long
But how many of us actually follow all of those rules?
Keeping ahead of hackers is important, but keeping track of passwords becomes increasingly challenging. Even if you create the perfect, hack-proof password you’ll need to change it soon to keep secure.
→ See, How to Create a Strong Password and Why You Should Do This Now
Yahoo recently introduced a new service to make signing into your account easier: On-Demand Passwords. Activate this feature and you won’t have to remember a password to log into your Yahoo account.
Even if you don’t have a Yahoo account, you may want to learn about what might be the next wave of account protection. If On-Demand Passwords is a big hit, expect other companies to follow Yahoo’s lead.
Yahoo On-Demand Passwords
Yahoo On-Demand Passwords gives you a new password every time you log into your account. When you sign into your account, Yahoo sends you a text message with a unique passcode you enter as your password for that sign-in session.
You never have to remember your Yahoo password because you won’t be using it. You only need the code sent to you by Yahoo to sign into your account.
If you don’t have your cell phone nearby, you can have Yahoo send the passcode to an alternate email address instead.
How to Set Up Yahoo On-Demand Passwords
To set up On-Demand Passwords, go to your Yahoo account and sign in.
1. Click on your name in the top right corner of the page to be taken to your account page.
2. Click on Account Security in the menu.
3. Click on Get Started under On-Demand Passwords.
4. Enter your cell phone number and Yahoo will send you a verification code.
5. Enter the code to activate On-Demand Passwords. You’ll see a confirmation when On-Demand Passwords is enabled:
After you’ve completed these steps, you won’t need your password to log into your Yahoo account. You’ll only need to enter the passcode that Yahoo sends to you via text message or email.
2-Step Verification versus On-Demand Passwords
If you’re thinking that On-Demand Passwords sounds like 2-step password verification without the first step, well you’re right. On-Demand Passwords is exactly like 2-step verification without the first step of using your account password to sign in.
→ Check out, How to Use 2-Step Verification for an Extra Layer of Password Protection
With 2-step verification, you log into your Yahoo (or other) account with your user name and password. Then Yahoo will send you a text message to your cell phone with a passcode to verify your identity. You must enter that passcode to access your account, entering your password alone isn’t enough.
With On-Demand Passwords you skip the first step of entering your Yahoo password. By skipping the first step of signing in with your own password you’re eliminating the need to create a unique and secure password for your Yahoo account. You never have to remember what your password is, nor jump through the hoops of resetting your password if you forget it.
But skipping that first step also means that your Yahoo account isn’t as securely protected as it would be if you used your own password with 2-step verification. Someone who has possession of your cell phone and your Yahoo email address could gain access to your Yahoo account. They could go to Yahoo, enter your Yahoo email address, get the passcode sent to your phone, and sign into your Yahoo account without having to know your Yahoo password.
Since the iOS 8 and Yosemite updates in the fall of 2014, text messages sent to iPhones can now be accessed on Mac computers and iPads. So if someone has access to your iPad or Mac computer and your Yahoo email address, they could potentially sign into your Yahoo account using On-Demand Passwords.
Bottom Line
If you struggle to create and use secure passwords, then Yahoo’s On-Demand Passwords may be an effective solution to keep your account secure. You may not be concerned about others having access to your phone, Mac or iPad to hack into your Yahoo account.
Use On-Demand Passwords to make it easier to sign into your account without having to remember your password. But if you want to maximize your Yahoo account security, use 2-Step verification for your Yahoo account.
Poll
What do you think of Yahoo’s On-Demand Passwords? Do you think the convenience of not having to remember a password is worth easier access to your account? Do you think Yahoo’s new way of logging in will be a hit or a miss? Vote in today’s Wonder of Tech poll and let us know:
Your Thoughts
Do you struggle with remembering your passwords? Are you going to use Yahoo’s On-Demand Passwords? Do you prefer 2-step verification to keep your account secure? Share your thoughts with us in the Comments section below!
Hi Carolyn,
That’s certainly a great feature introduced by Yahoo, and I personally feel others too follow this security feature to ensure complete security of your essential data.
I generally find it very difficult to remember my passwords and that’s why I loved this service introduced by Yahoo and certainly I’m going to use it now. 🙂
Hi Pankaj, Yes, you’re just the person who will benefit from this new feature of Yahoo’s. You don’t need to log in any more frequently when you use On-Demand passwords, you also don’t have to remember your password. Very handy!
Thanks for sharing this great news with us Carolyn. This is going to be very handy specially to people who are sometimes struggling in remembering their password (just like me…Lol). For me, I would prefer doing the verification so I can be sure that my account is secured. Anyway, thanks for this very detailed article Carolyn. More power!
Hi Dennis, Yes, if you’re concerned about your account being hacked, 2-step verification is the best way to keep your account secure. But if you’re more concerned about forgetting your password, then On-Demand passwords might be the way to go. I hope you find what works best for you!
I’m surely going to Yahoo’s On-Demand Passwords. First of all, i have too many accounts in various websites and it’s a nightmare to remember those. I think, Yahoo has brought this idea by keeping people like me in mind. 😉
Hi Rahul, I’m so pleased that this new feature from Yahoo is helpful for you. Yes, when you have a lot of passwords to keep straight, remembering them can be very difficult. Now you don’t need to remember your Yahoo password which is going to be very convenient for many people!
Hi,
Such a great feature conversant by yahoo.I check to out all rules for keeping our passwords secure like as change your passwords frequently, use random letters, characters and numbers etc.It is very helpful for me.
Thanks to share this helpful post with us.
Hi Sonam, That’s great that On-Demand Passwords will be helpful to you. You’re right, following all of the rules for passwords can be challenging. Yahoo has certainly made passwords easier with its On-Demand feature!