Gmail is to ditch the use of SMS codes for authentication purposes, a Google spokesperson said. Here’s what you need to know.

Gmail users will soon see a big change in the way their accounts are secured and how their two-factor authenticated logins are handled. Google is planning to stop sending 2FA codes via text message to verify Gmail accounts in favor of security tools such as passkeys and QR codes that users would scan with their devices.

SMS codes have long been less secure than other forms of authentication. With QR codes, Google aims to reduce users' dependency on carriers for account verification.