A recent update to Snapchat introduced a new feature the company is calling "Login Verification." With the feature enabled, any time you log in to Snapchat on a new device the company will send a six-digit code to your phone number that will then need to be entered before you can sign in.

This simple step, commonly referred to as two-step authentication, makes it much harder for prying eyes to gain access to your account.

You can enable the feature on your Android or iOS device by following the steps below:

• Update to the latest version of Snapchat from the respective app store for your device.
• Launch the app and swipe down on the camera screen to bring up your account info.
• Tap on the Settings icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
• From there, tap on Login Verification option listed in the menu.
• Follow the prompts, which include entering a verification code that will be sent to your phone number.

Once you've verified your phone number and have the feature enabled, it's important you create a recovery code. This code will act as your password should you forget it, or lose access to your phone number. Be sure to write it down somewhere safe or store it in a password manager such as 1Password or Dashlane.