Getting Ready for the Duo Sign-In Changes

What is changing

To protect Emerson accounts against the phishing attacks we have seen this year, we are retiring the two least secure Duo sign-in methods: phone calls and text messages.

• Monday, June 15: Phone call authentication will be removed.
• Monday, June 29: Text message (SMS) authentication will be removed.

If you currently sign in with a phone call or a text message, please switch to one of the methods below before these dates. Most people can do this themselves in a few minutes, and this guide walks you through it. If anything goes wrong, the Help Desk can set you up right away.

Choose how you will sign in

You have three strong options. You only need one, but we recommend setting up two so you always have a backup.

• Duo Push (recommended): Approve a notification in the Duo Mobile app and enter the short verification code shown on your screen. Works on any iPhone, Android phone, or iPad over Wi-Fi or cellular data.
• Touch ID or Windows Hello (no phone needed): Approve sign-ins with your fingerprint, face, or a PIN right on your computer. This is a newer option we now support, and it is an excellent choice if you would rather not use your phone at all. It works on a Mac with Touch ID and on a Windows PC with Windows Hello.
• Security key or passkey: A hardware security key or a passkey saved on your device. These work even with no internet connection.

Watch the walkthrough

Prefer to watch first? This short video walks through managing your own devices, including setting up Touch ID and Duo Push. It is filmed on a Mac and iPhone, but the steps are nearly identical on Windows.

Activate Duo Mobile on your existing smartphone (most common)

If your phone is currently set up only for calls or texts, you can add the Duo Mobile app to the same phone and the same number. This is the most common setup at Emerson.

Before you begin

Install the Duo Mobile app on your phone from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) before you start.

Steps

1. On your computer, open a private or incognito browser window. In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right and choose New Incognito Window.
2. Go to gmail.emerson.edu and log in with your Emerson email and password.
3. At the Duo prompt, click Other options.
4. Click Manage devices.
5. Verify your identity with a method you still have available, such as Text message passcode or Duo Push.
6. In the Device Management portal, click Add a device, then choose Duo Mobile.
7. Enter your phone number (the same number is fine), check the box to agree, and click Continue.
8. At the Download Duo Mobile screen, click Next.
9. A QR code will appear. Open the Duo Mobile app, tap the + in the top right, and scan the code. If you cannot scan it, click Get an activation link instead to receive it by text.

Once Duo Mobile is activated, Duo Push becomes your default sign-in method.

Approve sign-ins with Touch ID or Windows Hello (no phone needed)

If you would rather not use your phone, you can approve sign-ins right on your computer using the fingerprint, face, or PIN you already use to unlock it. This uses Touch ID on a Mac and Windows Hello on a Windows PC. Set it up on each computer you use regularly, because this sign-in method lives on the specific computer where you create it.

Set up Windows Hello on a Windows PC

You will need Windows Hello already turned on in Windows (a fingerprint, face, or PIN). Most Emerson laptops already have this. Use Chrome or Edge for these steps.

1. Open a new private window (in Edge, New InPrivate window; in Chrome, New Incognito Window). Close any other private windows first.
2. Go to gmail.emerson.edu and log in with your Emerson email and password.
3. At the Duo prompt, click Other options, then Manage devices, and verify your identity.
4. Click Add a security key (or Add a device, then the security key or passkey option).
5. A Windows box titled Save your passkey appears. Choose This Windows device or Windows Hello. If it offers another location such as Google Password Manager or a phone, use the Change or More choices link to select the Windows device option instead.
6. Confirm with your Windows Hello fingerprint, face, or PIN. That is it.

After this, signing in to Emerson sites in Chrome or Edge on that computer will prompt for your Windows Hello fingerprint, face, or PIN.

Set up Touch ID on a Mac

Touch ID works on a Mac with a Touch ID sensor, in Chrome.

1. On the Mac you want to set up, open a private or incognito Chrome window and go to gmail.emerson.edu, then log in.
2. At the Duo prompt, click Other options, then Manage devices, and verify your identity.
3. Click Add a device and choose Touch ID.
4. Follow the prompt and use your fingerprint to confirm.

Use a security key or passkey

Security keys and passkeys are the most phishing-resistant option and work with no internet connection. To add one, follow the same path: Other options > Manage devices > Add a device > Security key. For details, see Setting Up a Security Key With Duo.

Setting up Duo for the first time

If you have never set up Duo, or your account was reset, log into gmail.emerson.edu. When you see Welcome to Duo Security, click Get started. At First, add a device, choose Touch ID or Windows Hello, Duo Mobile, or Security key and follow the prompts. You can add more methods later.

How signing in works after you are set up

With Duo Push, a 3-digit code appears on your sign-in screen. Open the Duo Mobile app on your phone, tap the request, and enter that code to confirm it is really you. With Touch ID, Windows Hello, or a security key, you confirm right on your computer.

If you do not have a smartphone, a Touch ID Mac, or a Windows Hello PC

We can still help. Email helpdesk@emerson.edu from your Emerson account and we will work with you on an option that fits, such as a security key.

If you sign in and have no available method

Do not worry. Email helpdesk@emerson.edu from your Emerson account or the personal email we have on file, and we will get you back in right away.