Twitter now allows multiple hardware security keys on a single account, with the ability to exclusively use a security key for two-factor authentication (2FA) coming in the future.

Multiple Keys Per Account

"Now you can enroll and log in with more than one physical key on both mobile and web," the company announced the change on Twitter, as noted by The Verge.

Before today, Twitter only permitted a single hardware security key per account. With this change, customers can now use multiple physical keys to secure their Twitter account provided they have another 2FA method enabled for backup purposes. This could be especially convenient for people who keep multiple keys in different locations.

What Are Hardware Security Keys?

Made by companies like Feitian, Google, Yubico, and others, physical keys are small devices that connect to a host device like your computer or mobile phone using USB or Bluetooth.

Physical keys provide much tighter security for 2FA versus SMS codes or authenticator apps such as Google Authenticator, Authy, and others. These tiny devices also help protect your online privacy to an extent---with a hardware security key, for instance, you can quickly log in to your account without sharing your personal information with Twitter.

Related: How to Secure Your Online Accounts With 2FA

Based on similar security technology found in smart cards, a physical key automatically authenticates the user in a supported 2FA-enabled app without requiring them to type in a verification code that could be intercepted by a malicious party.

Security Keys as the Only 2FA Method

At present, Twitter requires that you use your security key(s) in combination with another 2FA method enabled as a backup. In the future, however, the company plans to allow customers to use a physical security key as their only authentication method.

A Twitter spokesperson told The Verge that there wasn’t an exact timeline for when this option might arrive, but watch this space as MUO will keep you posted.

Image Credit: BeauGiles/Flickr