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If you use two-factor authentication (and you should), you may get a lot of one-time password (OTP) text messages. Having to manually delete these is a bit annoying, so why not let Google’s Messages app do it for you?
OTP via SMS may not be the most secure, but it is a very common option for 2FA.Because by definition, OTP is only used for one time Use, there’s not much danger in keeping them around. It also means there is no reason to save them. So let’s keep the messaging app clean with ease.
related: What is two-factor authentication and why do you need it?
For this, we’ll use Google’s messaging app. It’s already pre-installed on many Android devices, but if you don’t have it, you can download it from the Play Store. After opening the application, you will gradually set it to default.
Next, tap the profile icon in the upper right corner.
Select “Message Settings” from the menu.
Go to “Message Organization” in settings.
Now just turn on “Automatically remove OTP after 24 hours”.
notes: In order to use this feature, you must also enable “View messages by category” (on the same screen).
As described on the setup screen, this will permanently delete all current OTPs you have as well as future OTPs. This is perfect because OTP is only effective for a short period of time, usually around 10 minutes. 24 hours is enough to use OTP, but you might want to consider getting them from via SMS.
related: Why you shouldn’t use SMS for two-factor authentication (and what to use instead)
