Two Factor for WordPress Plugin Directory

The Two-Factor plugin adds an extra layer of security to your WordPress login by requiring users to provide a second form of authentication in addition to their password. This helps protect against unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.

Setup Instructions Important: Each user must individually configure their two-factor authentication settings.

For Individual Users

Navigate to your profile: Go to “Users” → “Your Profile” in the WordPress admin

Find Two-Factor Options: Scroll down to the “Two-Factor Options” section

Choose your methods: Enable one or more authentication providers (noting a site admin may have hidden one or more so what is available could vary):

Authenticator App (TOTP) – Use apps like Google Authenticator, Authy, or 1Password

Email Codes – Receive one-time codes via email

Backup Codes – Generate one-time backup codes for emergencies

Dummy Method – For testing purposes only (requires WP_DEBUG)

Configure each method: Follow the setup instructions for each enabled provider

Set primary method: Choose which method to use as your default authentication

Save changes: Click “Update Profile” to save your settings

For Site Administrators

Plugin settings: The plugin provides a settings page under “Settings → Two-Factor” to configure which providers should be disabled site-wide.

User management: Administrators can configure 2FA for other users by editing their profiles

Security recommendations: Encourage users to enable backup methods to prevent account lockouts

Available Authentication Methods Authenticator App (TOTP) – Recommended

Security: High – Time-based one-time passwords

Setup: Scan QR code with authenticator app

Compatibility: Works with Google Authenticator, Authy, 1Password, and other TOTP apps

Best for: Most users, provides excellent security with good usability

Backup Codes – Recommended

Security: Medium – One-time use codes

Setup: Generate 10 backup codes for emergency access

Compatibility: Works everywhere, no special hardware needed

Best for: Emergency access when other methods are unavailable

Email Codes

Security: Medium – One-time codes sent via email

Setup: Automatic – uses your WordPress email address

Compatibility: Works with any email-capable device

Best for: Users who prefer email-based authentication

FIDO U2F Security Keys

Deprecated and removed due to loss of browser support.

Dummy Method

Security: None – Always succeeds

Setup: Only available when WP_DEBUG is enabled

Purpose: Testing and development only

Best for: Developers testing the plugin

Important Notes HTTPS Requirement

All methods work on both HTTP and HTTPS sites

Browser Compatibility

TOTP and email methods work on all devices and browsers

Account Recovery

Always enable backup codes to prevent being locked out of your account

If you lose access to all authentication methods, contact your site administrator

Security Best Practices

Use multiple authentication methods when possible

Keep backup codes in a secure location

Regularly review and update your authentication settings

For more information about two-factor authentication in WordPress, see the WordPress Advanced Administration Security Guide.

For more history, see this post.

Actions & Filters Here is a list of action and filter hooks provided by the plugin:

two_factor_providers filter overrides the available two-factor providers such as email and time-based one-time passwords. Array values are PHP classnames of the two-factor providers.

two_factor_providers_for_user filter overrides the available two-factor providers for a specific user. Array values are instances of provider classes and the user object WP_User is available as the second argument.

two_factor_enabled_providers_for_user filter overrides the list of two-factor providers enabled for a user. First argument is an array of enabled provider classnames as values, the second argument is the user ID.

two_factor_user_authenticated action which receives the logged in WP_User object as the first argument for determining the logged in user right after the authentication workflow.

two_factor_user_api_login_enable filter restricts authentication for REST API and XML-RPC to application passwords only. Provides the user ID as the second argument.

two_factor_email_token_ttl filter overrides the time interval in seconds that an email token is considered after generation. Accepts the time in seconds as the first argument and the ID of the WP_User object being authenticated.

two_factor_email_token_length filter overrides the default 8 character count for email tokens.

two_factor_backup_code_length filter overrides the default 8 character count for backup codes. Provides the WP_User of the associated user as the second argument.

two_factor_rest_api_can_edit_user filter overrides whether a user’s Two-Factor settings can be edited via the REST API. First argument is the current $can_edit boolean, the second argument is the user ID.

two_factor_before_authentication_prompt action which receives the provider object and fires prior to the prompt shown on the authentication input form.

two_factor_after_authentication_prompt action which receives the provider object and fires after the prompt shown on the authentication input form.

two_factor_after_authentication_input action which receives the provider object and fires after the input shown on the authentication input form (if form contains no input, action fires immediately after two_factor_after_authentication_prompt).

two_factor_login_backup_links filters the backup links displayed on the two-factor login form.

Redirect After the Two-Factor Challenge To redirect users to a specific URL after completing the two-factor challenge, use WordPress Core built-in login_redirect filter. The filter works the same way as in a standard WordPress login flow:

add_filter( 'login_redirect', function( $redirect_to, $requested_redirect_to, $user ) { return home_url( '/dashboard/' ); }, 10, 3 );