Keep your Account Safe during Travel
1. Add security info, and keep it up-to-date – One of the most important things you can do to help protect your account is to add security information, i.e. a mobile phone number or alternative email addresses. Attempts to enter your account with an incorrect password, or from an unknown location, will require you to verify ownership; something that’s likely to occur while you’re traveling. With security info in place, you simply need to verify ownership using the unique code sent to your mobile phone or email account. This helps keep you in control of your account, while keeping the bad guys out. Go ahead and add multiple phone numbers and email accounts if you’d like, and if you’ve already added security information to your account, just make sure it’s up-to-date.
2. Install an identity verification app before you travel – For those times when you’re traveling out of cell phone range or set your device to airplane mode, you can use an identity verification app to access your account. Identity verification apps use industry-standard security code generation, and work with various other services and providers. To get the app, go to your Microsoft account security settings page at account.live.com/proofs/manage, and click ‘Set up’ under “Identity Verification Apps.” Details can be found here.
3. Travel with your own device – In today’s digital world, it’s pretty common to use technology while traveling. It’s a great way to stay connected, watch movies, play games, check-in for flights, and more. If this sounds familiar, and if you use services attached to your Microsoft account while away from home, then we recommend traveling with a personal device whenever possible. It’s more secure than a public computer, and Microsoft is far more likely to recognize the device, greatly reducing the chances of you having to verify you’re the rightful account owner.
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