Enable new login check
This article explains how to enable and disable the new login check feature in FreeAgent.
If you aren’t already using our two-factor authentication (2FA) for your account, email login checks will provide an easy way for you to prevent unauthorised logins and meet modern security and GDPR standards. You can also add a recovery email address to recover your account if you ever lose access to your main email address.
When enabled, if you log in from a new device, or after clearing cookies, you'll be sent a verification code to your email address that you'll need to enter to verify your account. Read more on how new login check will work once enabled.
Please note:
- If you signed up to FreeAgent before 20th May 2026, you currently need to activate email login checks on your account as they aren’t activated by default. But in the coming months, it will be turned on by default as a crucial part of protecting your data from unauthorised access, fraud and abuse.
- If you signed up to FreeAgent on or after 20th May 2026, email login checks will be activated by default. Please speak to the FreeAgent account owner if you want new login check to be disabled.
- If you're the FreeAgent account owner or have full (level 8) access, you can choose whether new login check is optional or active for all users in the account. If optional is chosen, users will be able to disable new login checks, but if active is chosen, users won't be able to disable new login checks.
- Once enabled, the security prompt will only appear when logging in to FreeAgent using a new device or after clearing cookies. However, if you have any browser settings or extensions that clear cookies, the security prompt may appear each time you log in.
Enable new login check
Navigate to the drop-down menu under your business name and select ‘Settings’.
Select ‘Sign-in and Security’ under the ‘Account Security’ section.
Select the ‘Set up’ button next to the ‘New login check’ option.
Setting up new login check involves four steps.
- Sending a verification email
- Entering the verification code
- Adding a recovery email address
- Entering the verification code from the recovery email address
1. Send the verification email
Select the ‘Send verification email’ button to start the process.
You’ll be prompted to check the email that the code was sent to.
2. Enter the verification code
Enter the code from the email in the ‘Verification code’ field and select ‘Verify code’. The code will only be valid for 20 minutes.
If you didn’t receive the code or it has expired, select ‘request a new code’ to have another code sent to the listed email address.
3. Add a recovery email address
We highly recommend adding a recovery email address to avoid potentially being locked out of your account if you lose access to your primary email for any reason. However, you can skip this step if you prefer.
To add a recovery email address, select ‘Add a recovery email’.
Enter a different email address to the one you use to log in to your account, in the ‘New email address’ field and select ‘Send verification email’.
4. Enter the verification code from your recovery email address
Enter the verification code that was sent to your second ‘recovery’ email address in the ‘Verification code’ field and select ‘Verify code’. The code will only be valid for 20 minutes.
If you didn’t receive the code or it has expired, select ‘request a new code’ to have a new code sent to the second ‘recovery’ email address.
What happens next?
Once verified, the login email and secondary recovery email will be listed in the ‘Email’ section of the Sign-in and Security page.
To edit either of the email addresses, find out how to update your login or backup email address.
The ‘New login check’ option will also show as ‘Enabled’.
Read more on how to log in to your account when a new login check is enabled.
Disable new login check
To disable new login check and stop an email being sent to a chosen address whenever you log in from an unknown device, select ‘Disable’ to the right of ‘New login check’. If you don't see a 'Disable' option, please speak to the FreeAgent account owner.
Please note that we wouldn't recommend disabling new login check as it will leave your account vulnerable to security threats. Another optional security feature to consider instead would be two-factor authentication (2FA).
A pop up window will appear asking if you are sure that you want to disable this authentication.
Select ‘Disable’ to complete the process.