How to set up two-factor authentication for your Skype account

Two-factor authentication adds an extra factor (a generated code, in this case) to your login process, so even if your account's password is somehow discovered your account stays locked without the code. It's a good idea to get two-factor authentication locked and loaded on any account that offers it. Skype accounts support three two-factor authentication methods: email, phone number, and authenticator app.

How to link your Skype and Microsoft accounts

After Skype was acquired by Microsoft, the service added two-factor authentication for Skype accounts linked to Microsoft. Before you enable two-factor authentication, you'll need to link your Skype account to your Microsoft account. If your accounts aren't already linked, follow these steps.

Log in to your Skype account online.
Click Account settings below your profile photo on the left side of the page.
Click Connect a Microsoft account.
Click Your info in the toolbar at the top of the page.
Click Manage how you sign in to Microsoft.
Click Next.
Confirm your email address by clicking Next or change your email by clicking Use another email address.
Head back to your Skype Account settings. Next to Microsoft account you should see the word Linked.

Awesome! Now that you've got your Skype account linked to your Microsoft account, you'll use this account for both Microsoft and Skype and you'll be able to enable two-factor authentication! Let's proceed.

How to enable two-factor authentication

Once you've enabled two-factor authentication on your Skype account, you'll need to enter a code sent to your email or phone number, or one generated by an authenticator app. Microsoft's two-factor auth. methods are a little different in that it allows you to use any of the options for gaining access to your account — most make you choose a primary two-factor method.

Visit the Security settings page for your Microsoft account. (I've included a link to save you some time.)
Log in with your new Microsoft and Skype linked account.
Under Two-step verification click Set up two-step verification.
Click Next
After reading about which apps will need specially generated app passwords (a two-factor authentication feature), click Next.
After reading about which devices need specially generated app passwords (a two-factor authentication feature), click Finish.

You can confirm two-factor authentication has been enabled by trying to log in to Skype! Here you can see Skype prompts me for a two-factor auth code.

How to disable two-factor authentication

Visit the Security settings page for your Microsoft account. (I've included a link to save you some time.)
Log in with your new Microsoft and Skype linked account.
Under Two-step verification click Turn off two-step verification.
Click Yes to confirm you want to turn off two-factor authentication.

Questions?

Setting up two-factor authentication for your Skype account is a little weird, thanks to the Microsoft-Skype linking. Give us a shout in the comments or over on Twitter if you run into any trouble along the way and we'll try to troubleshoot the issue!