American Century Investments 2FA: how to set up an authenticator app

American Century Investments is a mutual fund and ETF company, and its online account (the My Account page on americancentury.com) is where you check IRAs, regular fund accounts and workplace plans such as SEP and SIMPLE IRAs. Signing in always takes a separate login code on top of your username and password. American Century calls this multifactor authentication, and it isn't optional: you must set up at least one way to get the code (American Century Investments).

There are three ways: a text message, a voice call, or an authenticator app. American Century's pages name Google Authenticator as the app. The setup shows a standard QR code, so other authenticator apps that scan QR codes should read it as well. This guide uses Authenticator App - Novaz on iPhone. Any authenticator app works the same way.

How we checked this guide: the American Century Investments steps come from American Century's own Security Center and eServices pages, linked below, which we read on October 21, 2026. We haven't tested them on an American Century account, so a label may differ slightly. The Novaz steps are checked against the app, version 1.0.5.

Keep text or voice as well

This is the one thing to know before you start. American Century lets you set up all three methods, and its Security Center says you need the text or voice call method to reset your password or unlock your account without calling customer service (American Century Investments). An authenticator app on its own doesn't cover that. So add the app next to a phone method rather than in place of one, and keep the phone number on file current.

Turn on 2FA with an authenticator app

American Century's two pages describe the starting point differently. Its eServices page says you choose text, phone call or the Google Authenticator app when you register for online access (American Century Investments). Its Security Center says the app only becomes an option after you've updated your account security once, and that existing users add it from their profile. If you already have an account, follow the profile route (American Century Investments):

1. Log in to your American Century account with your username, password and current login code.
2. Open the My Profile tab.
3. In the Security section, select Multifactor Authentication Setup.
4. Choose to get your code from Google Authenticator. Your screen may word this option slightly differently, since the pages only call it the mobile app or Google Authenticator option.
5. American Century shows a QR code. In Novaz, tap +, then Scan QR code, and point the camera at it. If you're on the American Century site on the same iPhone, take a screenshot, tap +, then Choose a photo. See scanning a QR code on the same iPhone.
6. Finish the setup on the American Century screen. If it asks for a code to confirm, type the one Novaz shows.

American Century's pages don't mention a text key you could type instead of scanning, and they don't describe the confirmation step, so scanning is the route to plan on. If the screen does offer a key, tap +, then Enter key manually in Novaz and put it in Setup key. See What is a 2FA setup key?

If you haven't set up any method yet, American Century prompts you to set one up the next time you log in. The same Multifactor Authentication Setup link is where you change your methods later.

Backup codes

American Century's pages don't mention backup or recovery codes. Your fallback is the other methods: a text message or a voice call to the phone number on your account. The voice call works on a landline, which helps if you don't have a mobile phone. Unless you've made a Novaz backup (iCloud backup or a backup file), its keys exist only on your iPhone, so that phone method is your real safety net. See Authenticator app vs. SMS for how the methods compare.

When American Century asks for a code

You need a login code to log in to your account. On a device you use often, American Century may skip it: the Security Center says you'll be asked when you haven't logged in from that device recently (American Century Investments). The American Century mobile app uses the same secure login as the website (American Century Investments).

If American Century rejects your code

American Century's only advice here is for Google Authenticator on Android: it points to that app's time correction setting, because codes fail when the app's time is out of sync. The same cause applies on iPhone. Open Settings > General > Date & Time and turn on Set Automatically. Novaz also warns you when the clock is 15 seconds or more off. Other causes are in Authenticator code not working?

With text and voice codes, a different rule applies: if you asked for several, American Century says only the newest one works.

Changing phones

American Century doesn't document how to move the authenticator to a new phone. While you can still log in, open Multifactor Authentication Setup and use it to set the app up again on the new iPhone, then check that the new code works before you wipe the old phone. With a Novaz iCloud backup or backup file, you can skip that and restore your accounts on the new iPhone instead; the codes keep working. See How to transfer your authenticator app to a new iPhone.

If you lose your authenticator

If you also set up text or voice, choose that method at login. If you can't, or if the phone you use for codes is lost or stolen, American Century's answer is to call 1-800-345-2021 (American Century Investments). Its contact page lists that number for technical support and log in issues, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday (American Century Investments). From outside the US, the same page lists +1-816-340-7000.

American Century doesn't say what it asks on the call to prove who you are, or how long the reset takes. More in Lost the phone with your authenticator app?

Turning it off

You can't turn the login code off: at least one method has to stay set up. American Century's pages don't describe removing the authenticator app on its own. If you change your mind, look in Multifactor Authentication Setup, or call the number above. Once it's gone, delete the entry in Novaz: open it and tap Remove account.

Official American Century Investments help

• Support Center: Privacy & Security - Security Center (see "Account Security" and "FAQs: Account Security and Multifactor Authentication")
• eServices: Get It Quicker. Manage Faster. Anytime.
• Support Center: Individual Investor Contact Information