So, what is a magic link? Is it an alternate means to sign into your Tumblr dashboard? Is it even safe to use? You’re probably reeling with such questions. But don’t worry. You are going to find all the answers right here. So read on.
What Is a Magic Link?
Tumblr developers love going overboard when it comes to naming new features. And unsurprisingly, a magic link is just a link sent to the email address associated with your Tumblr account. Like the ones that you receive when requesting for a change of password via email. However, these links function a tad differently. Click on one, and it signs you into your Tumblr dashboard automatically, no questions asked. Which is actually pretty cool. But why go into all that extra trouble? It feels like a waste of time. Especially when you can just feed a password instead. As useless as magic links may seem, they do serve a purpose.
Instances for Magic Links
Obviously, signing in with a password is much faster, and even more so if you’ve saved your Tumblr password with your web browser or password manager — auto-filling can get you to your dashboard quickly. But what if that isn’t the case? If you’re engaged in good password etiquette, it’s not fun to insert a long alphanumeric Tumblr password manually each time you want to log in, right? And on the mobile app, the possibility to feed a password incorrectly is higher. Since you’re usually signed in to the default mail app on your PC or mobile, using a magic link instead becomes much more convenient. And what about instances where you’ve really forgotten your password? Instead of spending time creating a new one, a magic link is all that you need to sign in until you really want to reset your password. But that’s just half the story — magic links also fulfill a vital security aspect. For example, imagine a scenario of a potential keylogger running in the background on your PC — possibly after a malware infection — and you aren’t confident in your anti-malware scanner’s ability to effectively thwart it. A magic link should help you out in such a situation. In short, opt for a magic link whenever you feel that your Tumblr password can be compromised by signing in from a device that you do not own, using a public Wi-Fi hotspot, etc. Using magic links as a sole means to sign in isn’t all that feasible. However, you don’t want a stuffed inbox full of login emails from Tumblr. Hence, consider using them only when needed. Or at least, until Tumblr completely gets rid of passwords. Considering that they are a major hassle and a security concern, a password-free login might happen.
When to Use Magic Links
Let’s check out a magic link in action and look out for any pitfalls associated with the whole process. No magic wands required, sadly. Start off by inserting your username or email address into the Tumblr login screen, and then click or tap Next. On the following screen, click the ‘Send me a magic link’ button. Wait for a few seconds for an email from Tumblr to arrive in your inbox. Simply open the email, and then click Let’s Go. And that’s it. Your default browser or Tumblr app should load up your dashboard immediately. If you don’t receive the email, you may want to check the Junk folder on your mail app and mark it as ‘not spam’ to prevent any magic links from being flagged in the future. Magic links also expire after a few minutes, so make sure to use them immediately. Of course, you can generate a new magic link again quite easily.
Can I Disable Magic Links?
Sadly you can’t. Tumblr doesn’t provide the means to disable magic links from the login screen and go straight to feed your password. Yes, it sucks if you prefer using passwords than leaving yourself open to a possible phishing attack. In fact, when the feature was first released, Tumblr used to send out a login link forcibly by default. After an outcry, you now have the option to select from between the two. So things are actually much better than earlier.
Magic Links Demystified
Hopefully, you now know what magic links are and what purpose do they serve. Really, Tumblr could’ve just replaced ‘magic’ with ‘login’ and saved you the confusion. But that would’ve gone against the outlandish spirit of this awesome blogging platform, right? So, do you plan to use magic links with your Tumblr account? The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
