Online Banking FAQs
Get detailed answers to all your questions about our Online Banking.
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Security
A Temporary Security Number is a code we use as an additional security measure to confirm your identity if:
- You're registering for Online Banking for the first time
- You’ve forgotten your login details
- You've locked your security number, you're using a browser on a mobile device or computer we don't recognise, and we don't have your up-to-date mobile phone number
- You've locked your password, you're using a browser on a mobile device or computer we don't recognise, and we don't have your up-to-date mobile phone number
If we have your up-to-date mobile phone number, we'll send you a text message with your Temporary Security Number. If we don't have your up-to-date mobile phone number, we'll send your Temporary Security Number by post. Your Temporary Security Number is valid for 30 days.
If you know your security number and security questions, you can contact us and update your mobile number.
If you forget any of your login details, you can reset these online. Just look for these links when logging in:
- Forgotten your Username?
- Forgotten your Security Number?
- Forgotten your Password?
- Forgotten both Security Number and Password?
We’ll also ask you to enter your name, date of birth and postcode as we’ll need this information to identify you. Depending on the account you have with us, you can choose to enter your 16-digit credit card number or sort code and account number from your savings or loan account.
A One Time Access Code is a code we use as an additional security measure to confirm your identity if you've forgotten your login details or are using a browser on a mobile device or computer we don't recognise.
You can choose to receive your One Time Access Code by text message or by an automated call. Once you receive your One Time Access Code, enter it in Online Banking to continue logging in.
Your One Time Access Code is valid for 10 minutes, so if it expires, you'll have to request another one. You can do this by choosing the 'Resend One Time Access Code' option displayed on your screen. Please note that you can only receive a maximum of 3 codes in 20 minutes.
If we don't have your up-to-date mobile or landline phone number, we can't send you a One Time Access Code. Instead, we'll send you a Temporary Security Number by post, which is valid for 30 days. You'll have to wait for the letter to arrive before you can get back online.
To make sure you can always access Online Banking, it's important that you keep your phone number up to date.
When you log in to Online Banking on a mobile device or computer we don't recognise, we'll send you a One Time Access Code by text message or by an automated call.
Once you've entered your One Time Access Code and confirmed your password, you'll be asked if you want us to recognise your device.
If you ask us to recognise your device, we'll store a small security token on your mobile device or computer, which lets us recognise it. We don't store any private or personal information about you or your accounts.
If you think that someone knows your login details, we would suggest resetting all of your security information.
Once you are logged in to Online Banking, at the top of the page, please select 'Settings', then 'Manage Security Details'. On this page, you can reset your username, security number, password and security questions. You'll need to enter your current password to change any of your security details.
If you think someone has used your login details and you're still concerned after resetting them, please contact us straight away.
You can stop Tesco Bank recognising your device by deleting your browsing history and cookies from your web browser or by using your anti-virus or anti-spam software. This will remove the small security token that's stored on your mobile device or computer and will stop your device from being recognised.
If you want to log back in on the same device (or another unrecognised device), you'll need to enter a One Time Access Code.
Your Security Number is one of three unique pieces of information that we use to identify you when you log in to Online Banking.
You'll be asked to set up a Security Number when you register for Online Banking and we'll ask you to enter your username, your password and two digits from your Security Number every time you log in.
We'll never ask you to enter all six digits of your Security Number.
To change your password:
- Log in to Online Banking
- From the 'Settings' menu at the top of your Online Banking Overview, select 'Manage security details'
- In the 'Change your Password' section, enter a new password and confirm your existing password.
Your password:
- Must be at least seven characters
- Must be a mix of letters and numbers
- Must be different to your username
- Is case sensitive
Encountered a problem
As a security measure, we'll log you out of Online Banking if you've been inactive for 5 minutes. If you believe you are being logged out earlier than this, try clearing the cache on your browser and logging in again.
There may be a few reasons you’re having problems logging in to Online Banking. Below are some you can check before you contact us for help:
- Double check you’re using the correct link: Saving the Online Banking link in your browser favourites or bookmarks could mean you’re using an old link. Instead, go to the Tesco Bank homepage and click on the 'Log in' button on the top right-hand side of the screen.
- Make sure your device operating software is up to date: Check you’re using the latest operating system for your device. Providers update this regularly to improve performance, security and fix any bugs. Running older software versions may be the reason you cannot log in to Online Banking.
- Make sure your browser version is up to date: Our fraud prevention and detection measures work behind the scenes to protect you and keep your account safe. We use the latest technology to manage the security of our Online Banking and Mobile Banking App and test against the latest versions of widely used browsers such as Safari, Firefox, Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
- Clear your cache on your browser: When you use a browser, it saves some information from websites in its cache and cookies. Clearing them fixes certain problems, like loading or formatting issues on sites. If you still cannot log in, we recommend clearing your cache in your browser settings.
- Check you're using the correct credentials: Some of our customers have both Tesco Bank and Tesco Insurance products, so might have two separate sets of logins, one for Online Banking and one for Your Insurance Account.
How to use Online Banking
On the Tesco Bank website, select 'Log in' in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
Enter your Username on the log in page and select 'Log in'. On the next page, enter the two digits requested from your security number and your password.
When you log in to Online Banking on a mobile device or computer we don't recognise, we'll send you a One Time Access Code by text message or by an automated call. You'll also be asked if you want us to recognise your device.
Yes, you can log in to Online Banking from more than one mobile device or computer as long as we have your up-to-date mobile phone or landline, or you've already asked us to recognise the device.
If you don't have a mobile phone or landline, you can log in from only one recognised mobile device or computer. If you need to remove a recognised device, please see our FAQ, How do I stop Tesco Bank recognising my device when I log in to Online Banking?