Can I use Patreon two-factor authentication without a phone?

Yes. Patreon’s help speaks of a code from a mobile device and names Duo and Google Authenticator, but any app that produces standard time-based codes works. The Authenticator extension reads the QR code straight off the Patreon page and generates the codes in Chrome.

Why can’t I turn on two-factor authentication in the Patreon app?

Patreon does not offer it there. Set it up once on patreon.com — after that the Patreon app asks for the same code when you sign in, and you can copy it from the extension.

What if I lose access to my authenticator?

Sign in with one of your recovery codes, then set the authenticator up again. Without the codes, contact Patreon Support from the email address linked to your account — they will verify your identity before changing anything. Keeping the extension’s automatic backups on means a reinstall does not lose the account.

Why does Patreon say my code is wrong?

Usually the computer clock is off by a minute or more. Turn on automatic date and time and try the next code. If it still fails, the account may have been added from an old QR code — remove it from the extension and set two-factor authentication up again.

Patreon Authenticator App — Set Up Two-Factor Authentication

A Patreon account holds your memberships and payment details — and for a creator, the page, the posts and the payouts your patrons fund. With two-factor authentication on, signing in takes a six-digit code from your authenticator as well as your password, and Patreon uses it in place of its email check on new devices.

Turn on two-factor authentication on Patreon

Two-factor authentication cannot be set up in the Patreon app — only on the Patreon website. Patreon also offers text messages, but the authenticator app keeps your codes off your phone number.

Sign in at patreon.com on your computer.
Click “Settings” in the left sidebar.
Open the “Account” tab.
Under “Two-factor authentication”, click “Use authenticator app”. Patreon first shows your recovery codes — save them, then click “Ok”.
Patreon shows a QR code. Leave it on the screen and add it to the extension as described below — then enter the six-digit code from the extension on Patreon.

Patreon’s own instructions

Add Patreon to Authenticator

Install 2FA Authenticator from the Chrome Web Store and pin it to the toolbar, so its icon is one click away.
Leave the Patreon page with the QR code open. Click the Authenticator icon, then “Add Account” → “QR Code” → “Scan QR from screen”.
The account appears in the list with a six-digit code that changes every 30 seconds. Rename it if you like — the name is only for you.
Go back to Patreon and type the current code into the confirmation field. If it is about to expire, wait for the next one.
Patreon confirms that two-factor authentication is on. From now on it will ask for a code when you sign in — click the extension icon and copy it.

No QR code, or it will not scan? Look for the option to enter a key manually on Patreon’s setup screen, copy the key, and add it in the extension with “Add Account” → “Manual” → “Secret Key”.

Get 2FA Authenticator for Chrome — free

Save your Patreon recovery codes

Patreon shows a set of backup recovery codes in a pop-up as you turn on two-factor authentication — before the QR code. They sign you in if you lose your authenticator, and Patreon says they are exactly like a password: keep them somewhere very secure, such as a password manager, and not only on this computer.

The code is not accepted?

Almost always the computer’s clock. The codes are calculated from the current time, so a clock that is a minute off produces codes that look right and are refused. Turn on automatic date and time in your system settings — step-by-step for Windows, macOS and Linux.

If the clock is right, check the key itself: paste it into the TOTP code generator and compare the code with the one in the extension. If they differ, the key was copied wrong — add the account again.

Questions

Can I use Patreon two-factor authentication without a phone?: Yes. Patreon’s help speaks of a code from a mobile device and names Duo and Google Authenticator, but any app that produces standard time-based codes works. The Authenticator extension reads the QR code straight off the Patreon page and generates the codes in Chrome.
Why can’t I turn on two-factor authentication in the Patreon app?: Patreon does not offer it there. Set it up once on patreon.com — after that the Patreon app asks for the same code when you sign in, and you can copy it from the extension.
What if I lose access to my authenticator?: Sign in with one of your recovery codes, then set the authenticator up again. Without the codes, contact Patreon Support from the email address linked to your account — they will verify your identity before changing anything. Keeping the extension’s automatic backups on means a reinstall does not lose the account.
Why does Patreon say my code is wrong?: Usually the computer clock is off by a minute or more. Turn on automatic date and time and try the next code. If it still fails, the account may have been added from an old QR code — remove it from the extension and set two-factor authentication up again.

Your codes, one click from the login page

Authenticator keeps your 2FA codes in the browser, on your device only — free to use, open source, no account and no phone needed. Local backups and optional password protection come built in.