Start in PayPal’s security settings
- Sign in to PayPal in a browser and open Settings using the gear near Log out.
- Choose Security, then Set Up beside 2-step verification.
- Choose Use an authenticator app → Set it Up.
Add PayPal to Sign In
You can use Sign In, our authenticator app for codes on your iPhone.
- With the setup QR code on another screen, open Sign In and tap Add → Scan QR Code.
- Scan the code, review the account details, and tap Add Account.
- Enter the current six-digit code back on PayPal and complete the setup confirmation.
PayPal documents QR-code enrollment and manual entry of its setup key. For setup on the same iPhone, use the key shown by PayPal. In Sign In, choose Add → Enter Setup Key, set Service to PayPal and Account to your account name, paste the secret into Key, then tap Add Account. Keep this key private.
Keep account recovery information current
Check the email addresses and phone numbers on your account before you finish. Keep access to those methods, and update them before changing your number. Do not assume PayPal will issue a set of authenticator backup codes.
If you lose access, use the help options on the sign-in screen or PayPal’s official locked-account guidance. PayPal determines the identity checks needed for recovery.
Other ways to authenticate
PayPal also offers passkeys and, in supported flows, approval through its own app. Availability depends on the account and sign-in context. Existing SMS verification may be available, but switching it off does not guarantee you can enroll in SMS again.
Sign In’s generated codes work without mobile reception. Text messages depend on access to your registered phone number.
If a code does not work
Make sure the PayPal entry in Sign In matches the account you are using. Wait for a fresh code, then enter it before it changes. If fresh codes keep failing, check that your iPhone uses automatic date and time.
Keep a working sign-in session and your recovery information available while resolving the problem. Adding an entry to Sign In does not finish enrollment: the service must accept a code and confirm activation.