Using ads services with new Google Account security features

We recently announced an advanced opt-in 2-step verification process to help make your Google Accounts significantly more secure. 2-step verification adds an extra layer of security to your Google Account by requiring unique “verification codes” in addition to your username and password at sign-in. This means that if your password is stolen, you still have an extra line of defense against a potential hijacker.

If you opt to use 2-step verification, when you log into your Google AdWords account, you’ll enter a code obtained through your phone in addition to your usual password when you sign in.

If your Google Account is associated with other Google products, such as the AdWords API or AdWords Editor, you may need to enter an application-specific password instead of your regular account password when you sign in to these specific services. This is because certain applications aren’t designed to prompt for a code in addition to a password.

To create an application-specific password, click on "Authorizing applications & sites" on your Account Settings page.

Under the application-specific passwords section, provide a name for the application you wish to generate a password for, for example “AdWords Editor - Desktop”.

Here’s what the generated password looks like:

To learn more about application-specific passwords, visit the Google Accounts Help Center and AdWords Editor Help Center. Please visit the Official Google Blog for the complete announcement.

Posted by Katie Wasilenko, Agency Team