# Setting up Multi-Factor Authentication on Tableau Online: Tableau with MFA

> This is content from just-tim, the data-and-analytics channel by Tim Ngwena (formerly 'Tableau Tim'). Tim has 12+ years of hands-on BI experience and covers Tableau most of all, plus Power BI, Looker, Hex, SQL and data modelling, the analytics industry, and the craft of doing the job — always tool-agnostic and honest about the trade-offs.

- **Author:** Tim Ngwena (just-tim, https://just-tim.com/about)
- **Published:** 2021-10-31
- **Format:** Video · 9 min watch · transcript available
- **Topics:** Tool strategy
- **Tools:** Tableau (cloud)
- **Canonical:** https://just-tim.com/posts/setting-up-multi-factor-authentication-on-tableau-online-tableau-with-mfa
- **Watch:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrXcSg78zJg

I walk through setting up multi-factor authentication on Tableau Online, which Salesforce is enforcing as a requirement from February. I demonstrate the process for an account without single sign-on, using a third-party authenticator app, and show how to grab recovery codes for safekeeping.

## Key takeaways

- Salesforce is enforcing MFA on Tableau Online from February, with setup managed from the Users page rather than Settings
- You can use the Salesforce Authenticator app or any standards-compliant authenticator like Authy or Google Authenticator to scan the QR code
- Always scan the QR code from within the authenticator app itself, not your phone's camera, as the camera lacks the authentication capability
- Generate and store recovery codes in a password manager in case your phone is lost, and name each device under MFA settings so you know which app is in use
- You can manage MFA modes later via user settings to add a name or recovery codes

## Chapters

- 0:00 Why Tableau is enforcing MFA
- 0:31 Finding the right documentation
- 1:55 Enabling MFA from the Users page
- 2:47 Registering an authenticator app
- 4:44 Verifying and logging in
- 5:12 Grabbing recovery codes
- 7:05 Final tips and SSO notes

Watch the full video, read the transcript and use chapter deep-links on the page: https://just-tim.com/posts/setting-up-multi-factor-authentication-on-tableau-online-tableau-with-mfa

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just-tim — Data and analytics, with a point of view. · https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HYxRWmaNlJux-X7rNLZyw · https://twitter.com/TableauTim · https://www.linkedin.com/in/timngwena