How to set up 2FA on PayPal
Checked against PayPal's own help on 10 October 2026. Menus change, so follow the nearest label if yours differs.
Short answer
Open PayPal's security settings (Settings, Security, 2-step verification), choose the authenticator app option, and scan the QR code PayPal shows with KeyNesta (or enter the setup key by hand). Type the six-digit code KeyNesta shows back into PayPal to finish, and save the recovery material PayPal gives you before you close the page.
Before you start
Have KeyNesta open and unlocked before PayPal shows the QR code, so the code is ready the moment it appears. KeyNesta needs no account to do this. It stores authenticator-app codes only: it does not do passkeys or hardware security keys, and where PayPal offers those you set them up in PayPal directly.
Steps
- Sign in to PayPal in a web browser (not the PayPal app) and open Settings with the icon next to Log out, then Security.
- Click Set Up beside 2-step verification.
- Choose Use an authenticator app, then click Set it Up.
- PayPal displays a QR code and a serial key. Leave it on screen.
- Add it to KeyNesta. Open the KeyNesta web app (or the app on your phone once it is released), unlock your vault, choose Scan QR and point the camera at the code on screen. If you cannot scan, use Import QR image, or choose Add entry to paste the setup key.
- Enter the one-time code KeyNesta shows to link it.
- Keep your phone number current in your PayPal profile; PayPal advises that before you change 2-step verification.
| PayPal | What to know |
|---|---|
| Where to start | Settings, Security, 2-step verification |
| Setup key as text | PayPal shows a unique serial key beside the QR code; add it to KeyNesta by hand. |
| Recovery material | PayPal's help page we read does not describe downloadable recovery codes. |
| Source | PayPal Help: What is 2-step verification and how do I turn it on or off? |
Backup and recovery for PayPal
PayPal's help page we read does not describe downloadable recovery codes. It advises keeping your phone number current in your profile as the fallback.
Save whatever PayPal gives you somewhere that is not the phone holding your codes. Where to store your 2FA backup codes compares the options, and 2FA backup and sync covers backing up the KeyNesta vault itself.
Things to know about PayPal
- PayPal says customers who currently have text-message 2-step verification on cannot enable the text option again once they turn it off.
Source
Menu paths on this page come from PayPal Help: What is 2-step verification and how do I turn it on or off?, read on 10 October 2026. KeyNesta is not affiliated with PayPal.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use KeyNesta as the authenticator app for PayPal?
Yes. PayPal asks for a standard time-based code, and KeyNesta reads the same QR code or setup key and generates that code on your device, offline. PayPal does not learn which app you chose. KeyNesta holds authenticator-app codes only; it has no passkey or hardware security key support. How to add the code is in How do I add a 2FA code to KeyNesta?
What happens to my PayPal 2FA if I lose my phone?
Use the phone number on the account or PayPal's account recovery. If your KeyNesta vault is synced or you made an encrypted backup, you can restore the codes on another device; the lost phone guide covers the order to do things in.
How do I add PayPal to KeyNesta if I cannot scan the QR code?
PayPal shows a unique serial key beside the QR code; add it to KeyNesta by hand. In KeyNesta you can also upload a screenshot with Import QR image, paste an otpauth:// link, or add the entry by hand with the secret. Delete any screenshot of the QR afterwards: it works like a password.
Can I use the same PayPal code on two devices?
Codes come from a shared secret, so any app that holds the secret shows the same codes. The tidy way is KeyNesta's optional end-to-end encrypted sync, which carries the vault to a second device. The alternative is to add the secret to a second app while the QR code is still on screen; once PayPal stops showing it, you cannot get it back without re-enrolling.
Can I turn on PayPal 2-step verification in the PayPal app?
PayPal's help describes setting up the authenticator app through the Security settings in a web browser rather than in the PayPal app. Do it on a computer or in your phone's browser, then use KeyNesta for the codes.
How do I turn PayPal 2-step verification off again?
Go to Settings, then Security, click Update beside 2-step verification and choose Turn Off. Before you do, make sure the phone number on your profile is up to date, as PayPal advises.
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