Does Empower have passkeys?

Not documented. We did not find passkeys on Empower's participant Security Guarantee page, its participant FAQ or its cybersecurity page (Empower: Security Guarantee; participant FAQs; Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026). Not yet confirmed by the firm.

Does Empower have two-factor authentication?

Yes. Empower says "We use multifactor authentication to reduce the chance of account takeover" (Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026). Its participant FAQ says "When you log in, enter your username and password, and you will be prompted to have a verification code sent to you. Once you receive the verification code via text, email or phone call, enter it in the field provided." The FAQ says you can skip this step on a device by selecting "Remember this device" (Empower: participant FAQs, checked Oct 22, 2026). The FAQ doesn't say how to choose between text, email and phone call. We did not find an authenticator app or app approval for the participant website. Not yet confirmed by the firm.

Does Empower have a money transfer lock?

Not documented. We did not find a lock you can turn on yourself for transfers out of your account on Empower's participant Security Guarantee page or its cybersecurity page (Empower: Security Guarantee; Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026).

What is the Empower Security Guarantee?

Empower says "This guarantee states we will restore losses to your account that occur as a result of unauthorized transactions through no fault of your own," and "Your Empower accounts are automatically eligible for this protection." It also says "All claims for reimbursement of fraudulent activity are reviewed on a case-by-case basis." The guarantee may not apply if you don't notify Empower "within 90 days after the suspicious activity occurs," if you don't promptly respond to security alerts, or if you don't follow basic security practices. It doesn't apply to transactions started by you "or a family member/acquaintance," to transactions by people you've given access, such as "employers, financial advisors, or other with whom you have shared your account credentials," or, for employer plans, to losses from a compromise of your employer's or its service providers' systems. Empower says "For accounts in employer-sponsored plans, reimbursement is generally subject to plan sponsor review and approval," and "Empower will determine the type and amount of any reimbursement in its sole discretion" (Empower: Security Guarantee, checked Oct 22, 2026). Empower's cybersecurity page says participants are enrolled automatically "with no cap to reimbursements, nor eligibility requirements" (Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026).

What should I do if I think my Empower account was hacked?

Empower says "If you see suspicious activity on your account, change your password and contact our customer account protection team immediately at 844-773-6797" (Empower: Security Guarantee, checked Oct 22, 2026).

Empower 401(k) account security: passkeys, two-factor authentication, transfer lock and guarantee

Checked Oct 22, 2026

This page covers Empower's website for people in workplace retirement plans, such as a 401(k), that Empower administers. Empower Personal Dashboard is a separate Empower service with its own sign-in options. We mention it where it helps, but the statuses below are for the plan participant website.

Quick answers

Does Empower have passkeys? Not documented. We did not find passkeys on Empower's participant Security Guarantee page, its participant FAQ or its cybersecurity page (Empower: Security Guarantee; participant FAQs; Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026). Not yet confirmed by the firm.
Does Empower have two-factor authentication? Yes. Empower says "We use multifactor authentication to reduce the chance of account takeover" (Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026). Its participant FAQ says "When you log in, enter your username and password, and you will be prompted to have a verification code sent to you. Once you receive the verification code via text, email or phone call, enter it in the field provided." The FAQ says you can skip this step on a device by selecting "Remember this device" (Empower: participant FAQs, checked Oct 22, 2026). The FAQ doesn't say how to choose between text, email and phone call. We did not find an authenticator app or app approval for the participant website. Not yet confirmed by the firm.
Does Empower have a money transfer lock? Not documented. We did not find a lock you can turn on yourself for transfers out of your account on Empower's participant Security Guarantee page or its cybersecurity page (Empower: Security Guarantee; Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026).
What is the Empower Security Guarantee? Empower says "This guarantee states we will restore losses to your account that occur as a result of unauthorized transactions through no fault of your own," and "Your Empower accounts are automatically eligible for this protection." It also says "All claims for reimbursement of fraudulent activity are reviewed on a case-by-case basis." The guarantee may not apply if you don't notify Empower "within 90 days after the suspicious activity occurs," if you don't promptly respond to security alerts, or if you don't follow basic security practices. It doesn't apply to transactions started by you "or a family member/acquaintance," to transactions by people you've given access, such as "employers, financial advisors, or other with whom you have shared your account credentials," or, for employer plans, to losses from a compromise of your employer's or its service providers' systems. Empower says "For accounts in employer-sponsored plans, reimbursement is generally subject to plan sponsor review and approval," and "Empower will determine the type and amount of any reimbursement in its sole discretion" (Empower: Security Guarantee, checked Oct 22, 2026). Empower's cybersecurity page says participants are enrolled automatically "with no cap to reimbursements, nor eligibility requirements" (Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026).
What should I do if I think my Empower account was hacked? Empower says "If you see suspicious activity on your account, change your password and contact our customer account protection team immediately at 844-773-6797" (Empower: Security Guarantee, checked Oct 22, 2026).

All eight protections we track

Protection	Status	What Empower's docs say	Source
Passkeys	Not documented	We did not find passkeys for the participant website. Not yet confirmed by the firm.	Security Guarantee
Authenticator app or app approval	Not documented	Empower's participant FAQ says verification codes arrive "via text, email or phone call." We did not find an authenticator app or app approval for participants. Empower Personal Dashboard, a separate service, documents Mobile App Verification. Not yet confirmed by the firm.	participant FAQs; Security Guarantee; Personal Dashboard: Mobile App Verification
Hardware security key	Not documented	We did not find FIDO or passkey security keys for participants. Not yet confirmed by the firm.	Security Guarantee
Code-generating key fob	Not documented	We did not find a physical token that shows a code.	Security Guarantee
Text message the only option?	Not offered	Empower's participant FAQ says verification codes arrive "via text, email or phone call," so text is not the only option.	participant FAQs
Transfer lock	Not documented	We did not find a self-service lock on outgoing transfers.	Cybersecurity
Phone PIN or verbal password	Not documented	We did not find a phone PIN or verbal password.	Cybersecurity
Written fraud guarantee	Offered	Empower will restore losses from unauthorized transactions through no fault of your own, reviewed case by case and subject to its conditions and exclusions.	Security Guarantee

How to turn it on

We list a step only where Empower's own page gives it (checked Oct 22, 2026).

Register and keep your contact details current, from Empower: Security Guarantee. Empower says "As soon as you are able, log in to your Empower account online to ensure we have registered you as the authentic account owner," and to add emails and your mobile number "to help ensure we can contact you with proactive security alerts or in case of suspected unauthorized activity."
Mobile App Verification: Empower Personal Dashboard, a separate service, has its own Mobile App Verification; its steps are on Empower Personal Dashboard: Enabling Mobile App Verification.
Passkeys, authenticator apps, security keys and a transfer lock: we did not find any of these for the participant website, so there are no steps to list. Not yet confirmed by the firm.
We could not see the security settings inside the participant website, which are behind Empower's login (checked Oct 22, 2026).

What the statuses mean

Offered: Empower's own documentation describes the feature.
Not offered: Empower's documentation says it isn't available, or lists its options in a way that clearly leaves it out. For "Text message the only option?", Not offered means Empower documents at least one alternative to text messages.
Not documented: we could not find the feature in Empower's public materials. It may still exist.

Features change, so check with Empower before relying on any detail. This page is general education, not financial advice.

Think we got it wrong? Tell us.

Sources

Empower: Security Guarantee, checked Oct 22, 2026
Empower: participant FAQs, checked Oct 22, 2026
Empower: Cybersecurity, checked Oct 22, 2026
Empower Personal Dashboard: Enabling Mobile App Verification, checked Oct 22, 2026

More: Cyber hub · How we score account protections