Many companies, including financial institutions, now require Two Factor Authentication (2FA) to enhance login security. After initial password entry, most 2FA systems send verification codes to your phone or email.
Multiple users for ancestry accounts create 2FA issues. For instance, as the family genealogist, accessing my wife’s 23andMe account meant relying on her email for verification codes. This was troublesome, especially when she was away. While I could use her email password, forwarding verification emails to me seemed simpler. Text verification wouldn’t solve this, but email forwarding offered a convenient workaround.
Whenever possible, opt for email-based verification codes over text. They’re easily accessible across devices, eliminating the need to keep your phone close. Gmail makes forwarding these codes effortless: simply create a filter to automatically forward them to your desired address.
Setting up the filter in Gmail takes just two steps:
Match emails from: (donotreply@23andme.com).
Forward to: your.name@gmail.com (replace with the desired forwarding address).
Now, when either of us logs into her 23andMe account, we both receive the verification code, ensuring seamless access for whoever needs it.
The “from address” for Ancestry.com is: (ancestry@email.ancestry.com).
“I’ve often said, if you can’t explain what you’re doing to a bunch of bright undergraduates, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Daniel Dennett
Jims BBS 