Two-factor authentication is akin to protecting your house door with two non-identical locks instead of one, so it's much harder to break in. Everytime you want to login, you would need to enter your password, then a code that is sent to your phone, in order to access your account. This way, if someone figures out your password, they still cannot get full access to your account.  This helps to keep your account secure by requiring a second form of verification in addition to your password.

Activating 2FA on Instagram step-by-step:

1. Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top right corner and select Settings and Privacy.
3. Scroll down and tap on Security.
4. Tap on Two-Factor Authentication.
5. Follow the prompts to set up 2FA using your phone number or a third-party authenticator app.

Once you have set up 2FA, you will be prompted to enter a code sent to your phone or generated by your authenticator app when logging in to Instagram from a new device.This helps to keep your account secure by requiring a second form of verification in addition to your password.