Sign-in Approval: A secure and convenient way to protect your account
Published: Jun 02, 2026
Sign-in Approval is Questrade's most secure and convenient verification method, allowing you to approve or deny login attempts directly from your designated Primary Trusted Device. It provides real-time, context-rich notifications—including device type, time, and login location on a mini-map—to help you identify and block unauthorized access instantly. Plus, it’s travel-ready: access your account on Wi-Fi globally without needing a local SIM.
Why is it more secure?
SMS and email codes can be intercepted, forwarded, or phished — an attacker who has your password and your phone number may still be able to get in. Sign-in Approval works differently: the approval happens inside the Questrade app itself, and the notification goes only to your Primary Trusted Device. Even if an attacker has your credentials, they cannot approve the login without physical access to your Primary Trusted Device (e.g., your phone).
What you see on the approval screen | What it protects against |
Device type, approximate location, and timestamp for every login attempt | Lets you identify logins you did not initiate, even if the attacker has your password. Note: Location is IP-based geolocation, not GPS. It can be off by a few kilometers or more depending on your carrier, network routing, or if you are on a VPN. |
Approval happens inside the Questrade app, not via SMS or email | Prevents interception and phishing — attackers cannot redirect or replicate an in-app approval |
Getting started: How to enroll your device
Enrolling your device for Sign-in Approval is a simple process that can be done in two ways.
Enroll when you log in
Update your QuestMobile or Edge Mobile application to the latest version. (You can download our mobile apps here: QuestMobile (opens in a new tab) or Edge Mobile (opens in a new tab))
Simply enroll your device when prompted upon logging into the app.
If you’re not ready, you can select Remind me later.
Enroll in the Security Center
Update your QuestMobile or Edge Mobile app to the latest version.
From your mobile app, select Settings > Security Centre.
Select the Sign-in Approval setting and toggle it ON. This will enroll the device you’re currently using.
How it works
Log in as usual Enter your username and password on the Questrade website or another device as you normally would.
Receive a notification A push notification will be sent instantly and exclusively to your one designated Primary Trusted Device.
Review the details Tapping the notification opens a screen in your Questrade app where you can review the critical login details. You’ll need to unlock your phone to check the notification details. You will see:
Device: what browser and OS initiated the login (e.g., Windows 11, Chrome 134)
Where: an approximate location based on IP address, shown on a mini-map (e.g., Near Quebec City, Quebec)
When: timestamp of the login attempt (e.g., May 12, 2026 at 1:53 p.m. ET)
The request expires after 3 minutes. If you do not respond in time, the login attempt fails and you will need to start again or use another MFA method.
Approve or Deny
If the details match your login attempt, tap Allow.
If you don't recognize the activity, tap Don't Allow to immediately block the attempt.
If the notification does not arrive, tap Resend notification to send another notification. If you need to log in immediately, tap Try another way to use SMS, Voice, or an authenticator app instead.
Managing your Sign-in Approval settings
You can manage your Sign-in Approval preferences easily from the Security Center. Here are the main actions you can take:
Changing your Primary Trusted Device: Only one mobile device can be your designated Primary Trusted Device at a time.
Disabling Sign-in Approval: If you wish to turn the feature off, you can return to the Security Center at any time and toggle it OFF. Your other MFA methods (SMS/Voice, authenticator app) remain available.
