Instagram introduced two-factor authentication in 2016.
The security feature added a second checkpoint beyond a password. When enabled, Instagram could require a login code delivered by text message, helping protect accounts even when a password had been exposed. The rollout arrived as Instagram faced growing concerns about hacked accounts and unauthorized access.
Two-factor authentication is often confused with account verification. Verification concerns whether an account is authentic or notable; two-factor authentication concerns how a user proves identity during login. It also differs from simply receiving a password-reset email, because 2FA is an extra sign-in requirement rather than a recovery process.
Instagram’s security tools later expanded beyond SMS codes, with support for authentication apps and additional account-protection features. The broader neighboring fact is that 2016 was also a major product year for Instagram: it introduced Stories, changed its visual identity, and continued shifting from a simple photo-sharing app toward a wider social platform.