Overview
If you registered your cellphone as a device for two-step login, you can send yourself a batch of 10 single-use passcodes. This is a good backup in case:
- Other registered devices aren't available
- There is no wireless or cellular availability at your location
- You're traveling and don't want to connect to untrusted networks
Critical Concepts
- You'll need to have registered a cellphone for two-step login before you can receive the batch of passcodes. To register a phone, see Add Another Device for Two-Step Login
- The codes can be used in any order.
- Once a code is used, it is ineligible for future use (Duo tracks used codes).
- You can request a batch of 10 passcodes anytime. Requesting a new batch invalidates passcodes from a previous batch. Therefore, it's a good idea to delete the text containing older batches.
- Want to use your text passcode on the VPN? We recommend looking over the steps to use a passcode with Two-Step on the VPN.
Steps to Take
- Visit the device registration portal (duo.ucsd.edu).
- Log in to the portal with Active Directory (AD) credentials
- Confirm that the correct phone is selected in the "Device" drop-down menu.
- Click the green button Enter a Passcode, then click Text me new codes in the blue band that appears at the bottom of the interface (see image below).
- You should now receive a SMS text message containing 10 single-use passcodes.
- Recommendation: Store passcodes in a secure location, such as a password manager. LastPass is a good choice.
- To use passcodes:
- Single Sign-On Applications: When you receive the prompt for two-step verification, click Enter a passcode, enter one of the unused passcodes, then click Log in.
- VPN: See the Duo Two-Step Login on VPN article for steps to take to use two-step passcodes on the VPN.
