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Yubico Authenticator Feature Spotlight: Favorite Credential

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Daniel Bucy
Created - Updated

Summary

This document outlines how to use the Favorite Credentials feature found in the Yubico Authenticator desktop application, for easier and quicker access to oft-used One Time Passwords (OTP). When an account is marked as a Favorite within Yubico Authenticator, users are able to generate and copy the associated OTP directly from the system tray (in Windows) or menu bar (in MacOS) without having to open up the full application. This feature streamlines the overall user experience by minimizing the number of clicks and decreases the time to perform a second factor authentication (2FA).


Minimum requirements

How to show Yubico Authenticator in
System Tray (Windows) or Menu Bar (MacOS)

The following section outlines how to enable Yubico Authenticator as a system tray (Windows) or menu bar (MacOS) icon when minimized.

 

  1. Launch the Yubico Authenticator desktop application
  2. Open Settings by clicking the three vertical dots in the top left corner

1.PNG

 

  1. Scroll down to and expand System tray (or Menu Bar for MacOS) by clicking the downward arrow
  2. In the expanded System tray (or Menu Bar for MacOS) menu, click on the checkbox labeled Show in system tray (or Show in menu Bar for MacOS). 
  3. [Optional] If desired, the “Hide on launch” checkbox will automatically minimize Yubico Authenticator on launch, so that only the System tray or Menu bar (MacOS) icon is shown instead of the fully expanded application

2.PNG3.png

System tray setting for Windows (left image) / Menu bar setting for MacOS (right image)

 

  1. The Yubico Authenticator icon (4.png) should now be displayed in the System tray or Menu bar (MacOS)

Setting an account as a favorite

The following section outlines how to set an account in the Yubico Authenticator desktop application as a favorite. In this example, an account has already been added to the YubiKey, but if instructions are required on how to do this, please refer to the following page. Note that favorited accounts are specific to the local machine. Accounts will need to be re-marked as a favorite for every instance of the Yubico Authenticator desktop application. 

 

  1. Launch the Yubico Authenticator desktop application
  2. Insert the YubiKey
  3. Hover over the desired account and click on the star shaped outline in the top right corner

5.png

 

  1. Once an account has been set as a favorite, the star shaped outline will instead be replaced by a gold star

6.png

 

  1. Yubico Authenticator allows for multiple accounts to be set as favorites.

Generating OTP Codes for Favorite Accounts

The following section outlines how to quickly capture an OTP code for an account marked as a favorite.

 

  1. Right click the Yubico Authenticator icon (7.png) in the System tray (Windows) or Menu bar (MacOS).
  2. From the resulting pop-up, select the desired account

8.png

 

  1. [Optional] The Operating System will prompt the user to touch the YubiKey if Require touch was enabled during setup

9.png

 

  1. The Operating System will automatically copy the OTP to the clipboard
  2. Simply paste the copied OTP, when prompted by the underlying service of the favorited account

10.png

The above image is a sample authentication flow. Other services may have a different interface for accepting OTPs