Passwords are increasingly vulnerable these days, with data breaches and brute-force attacks becoming more common each year. That’s why aside from using one of the best password managers, it’s also a good idea to use two-factor authentication (2FA). While SMS authentication is a relatively weak way to set this up, it’s also one of the most common forms of 2FA since all it needs is a phone number associated with an online account for verification. This works well, but 2FA codes can easily clog up your text message inbox. That’s why you should set up your Messages app to auto-delete 2FA codes.
What you need to get started
Google added the ability to auto-delete 2FA codes with an update to the Google Messages app last year. When enabled, any 2FA codes sent to your phone will be automatically removed after 24 hours. Since most 2FA codes expire after a period of minutes rather than hours, this doesn’t really have a downside. However, the Google Messages app might not be your default messaging app, and you need to set this up first before you can start auto-deleting 2FA codes. Google phones, like the Pixel 7 Pro, will have Google Messages set up by default. Some of the other best Android phones don’t, so you’ll have to install it manually.
How to install Google Messages on your Android phone
- Open the Google Play Store and search Google Messages in the search bar.
- Find the app in the list that reads Messages by Google.
- Open the Google Messages app.
- Tap the blue button at the center of the screen that says Set default SMS app.
- In the window that opens, tap the Messages icon and press Set as default to confirm your choice.
How to delete 2FA codes in Google Messages
Now that you’ve installed Google Messages and set it as your default messaging app, you can enable the feature that deletes 2FA codes automatically after 24 hours.
- Open Google Messages.
- Tap the account icon in the top right corner of the screen.
- Tap Messages settings.
- Then press Messages organization.
- Tap the toggle next to Auto-delete OTPs after 24 hrs.
Why you should auto-delete 2FA codes with Google Messages
Google Messages is one of the best messaging apps overall, and it’s certainly a great option for Android users. With this application, you can auto-delete 2FA codes after a 24-hour period, which is a great idea if you want to keep a clean inbox. Nearly all 2FA codes expire within 24 hours anyway, so there’s no reason to keep them around. You could delete them manually, but Google Messages takes the hassle out of the equation with auto-deletion for 2FA codes.