#Restore google authenticator update#

Update October 12th, 2021, 11:20AM ET: This article was originally published on September 2nd, 2020 the directions for transferring between Android phones have been updated.How Do I Recover My Google Authenticator ?

#Restore google authenticator code#

(You can also enter the setup key code if that’s what you saved.) Do this for each of your apps, and you’ll be all set.

#Restore google authenticator install#

Just throw the screenshot up on your computer, install Google Authenticator on your new phone, and use the plus sign on the app to scan the barcode. If you’ve mislaid your backup codes, but you’ve saved a screenshot of the QR barcode that you originally used to create your app’s authentication, you can use that screenshot to establish your credentials on a new phone. One way to create a backup in case you lose your phone is to take and save a screenshot of the barcode that is created for each 2FA-secured app. Each code can be used once if you use them all, you can get more by clicking on “Show Codes” and then on “Get New Codes.”Īlternative method #2: Take a screenshot of the barcode

Scroll down to “Backup Codes” and click on “Show Codes.”Ĭlick on “Show Codes” to get your ten backup codes for your Google account.

Scroll down to and select “2-Step Verification.” You’ll probably have to enter your password.

Click on “Security” in the left-hand column.

For that, you have to go into your Google account and then follow these steps: If you missed that step during the installation, you can get those backup codes anyway. This is also the way to reestablish your keys on a new iPhone. If your phone goes south, these codes will be a good way to reestablish authentication on your new phone - assuming, of course, you haven’t misplaced the codes.

#Restore google authenticator pdf#

And you definitely do want to save them print them out and put them somewhere safe or create a PDF and save it where nobody else can access it. When you first set up Google Authenticator, you may be given a set of backup codes and asked to print them out or otherwise save them. (Note: the app will not be deleted from your old phone.)Īlternative method #1: Use your backup codes You should see the imported app now listed in your Google Authenticator app in the new phone.Uncheck which accounts you don’t want to export.Select “Export accounts.” You may be asked to verify your identity via a fingerprint, password, or another method.Tap on the three dots on the top right of the screen and select “Transfer accounts”.Open Google Authenticator on your older phone.Tap “Scan a QR code.” You’ll get a grid and instructions to “Place QR code within red lines.”.Install Google Authenticator on your new phone.If you’ve got two Android phones, you can transfer your accounts to a new phone by exporting them via a QR code generated by the Authenticator app. Transfer your Authenticator keys via Android If either of these assumptions doesn’t work for your situation, there are other methods you can use, which we’ll cover next. However, there are two assumptions here: first, that you have access to both the old and new phone, and second, that you have Android devices. The easiest method, especially if you use 2FA with several apps, is to use the Authenticator app’s dedicated transfer feature to move your keys from one phone to the other. Instead, you have to transfer the keys to your new app. It’s a relatively easy process - unless you find you have to move the app to a new phone.īecause 2FA uses security keys that are specific to each piece of hardware, you can’t simply reinstall Google Authenticator on your new phone and use it to log in. Google Authenticator lets you establish 2FA by using your phone to scan a QR code generated by the app on a separate device or by entering a key code. In this article, I’m going to look at Google Authenticator, including the easiest way to transfer the app to a new phone if you do have access to the old one, and how you can prepare for a possible problem (like a broken phone).

#Restore google authenticator how to#

How to set up two-factor authentication on all your online accountsĭifferent authentication apps handle this in different ways.