Google 2-Step Verification - International Travel Recommendations

Any Binghamton University Bmail user can create a set of 10 printable Google 2-Step Verification codes for their Bmail address that they can have on-hand in hard copy.

Generating, and printing, backup codes before traveling is likely the most reliable way to ensure you can get past Bmail’s Google 2-Step Verification while you’re abroad.

1. From a computer (if possible), visit the Bmail website at, http://bmail.binghamton.edu, and log in with your Bmail address credentials if prompted
   
   Your password for your Bmail address should be the same password that you use to log in to other Binghamton University websites (i.e. my.binghamton.edu, BU Brain, etc...). If you’d like help with your password, please contact the ITS Help Desk.
   
   
   
   If this is the first time you are logging in to your Bmail address, Google might prompt you to set up address recovery options, and provide a tutorial about using the address.
    
2. Once you’ve logged in, towards the upper-right corner of the page, click the Binghamton University logo
   NOTE: If you don’t see that Binghamton University logo, then you might be logged in to a personal Gmail address. Instructions for logging out of a personal Gmail account are provided by Google at this link. Afterwards, please restart these instructions from the top.

   

   This should open a drop-down list.
    
3. Click “Manage your Google Account”
   
   
   
   This should open a new tab/window in your web browser.
    
4. Along the left side of the page, click “Security”
   
   
   
   This should open some settings along the right side of the page.
    
5. Scroll down to the section for “Signing in to Google,” and look for the “2-Step Verification” option
   
   
    
6. Click anywhere on that 2-Step Verification line
   
   
    
7. If prompted, sign in with your Bmail password and click “Next”
   
   
    
8. Scroll down to the section for “Backup codes,” and click the icon of a small right-pointing arrow
   
   
    
9. If prompted, sign in with your Bmail password and click “Next”
   
   
   
   This should open the backup codes request area.
    
10. Click the button to, “Get backup codes”
    
    
    
    This displays your 10 backup codes.
     
11. Click either “Print codes” or “Download codes” (or both) depending on what you’d like to do with your codes.
    
    It’s recommended to print the codes right away and put the printout in a safe, accessible location.
    
    
     
    WARNING: Before you use your last backup code, be sure to print another set of backup codes. 
    NOTE: Not only will the printed codes allow you to log in to your Bmail address, but they’ll also let you access your Bmail’s Google 2-Step Verification settings in case you’d like to add another device to your account when you arrive at your destination – such as a phone you might purchase while abroad.
    
    Instructions for adding a new Google 2-Step Verification device to a Bmail address are located at this Binghamton University website.

12. When you return from your trip, if you haven’t used all of your backup codes, you can either hold on to those codes in a secure location for later use, or you can delete the entire set of backup codes.
    
    If you’d like to delete the backup codes, go back through steps 1 – 9 above, and when you get to a point where you see your current backup codes, click the icon of a trash can and confirm that you’d like to delete those codes.