{"id":2205,"date":"2022-06-30T11:59:52","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T08:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.protectimus.com\/blog\/?p=2205"},"modified":"2025-08-02T01:30:42","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T22:30:42","slug":"google-authenticator-backup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.protectimus.com\/blog\/google-authenticator-backup\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Backup Google Authenticator or Transfer It to a New Phone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our regular readers know that we strongly recommend applying two-step verification wherever it\u2019s possible. In the contemporary world, where database leaks are a standing affair, two-step authentication is not an option, it is, in fact, a must. If you use two-factor verification, an intruder would need to get both the unique password you came up with, and the gadget, which produces the verification codes, to break into your account. Thus, two-factor authentication protects from brute force<\/a>, keyloggers<\/a>, most cases of phishing<\/a> and social engineering<\/a>. It also complicates man-in-the-middle<\/a> and man-in-the-browser<\/a> attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So why two-factor verification is still unpopular? Sure, it creates an extra step to take to log in, but most users omit it not because of this extra time and effort, but because they are afraid of losing access to their credentials if something goes wrong with their authentication devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAs the world is increasingly interconnected, everyone shares the responsibility of securing cyberspace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Newton Lee, Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity: Total Information Awareness<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

From all available options of one-time passwords generation or delivery (SMS, emails, hardware and software tokens) most people choose Google Authenticator or other similar applications like Authy, Protectimus Smart<\/a> etc. Operating principle is pretty much the same for all the software OTP tokens – they generate authentication codes for logging into your account right on your smartphone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Buy Hardware Google Authenticator for $29.99<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s very convenient to use the smartphone for two-factor verification, but there are always these nagging questions: What do you do if you lose the smartphone which generates your one-time passwords? What occurs if you switch smartphones, do you lose the entire account? How do you transfer Google Authenticator to a new phone? In this article, we will answer these nagging questions and help you protect your invaluable personal data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

| Read also:<\/span> How does 2-factor authentication work?<\/a>
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3 ways to backup Google Authenticator<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Backup codes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Google, as well as some of the other websites where you can protect your user account with two-step authentication, provides backup codes. These are the one-use codes that allow you to login into your account if you lose access to your OTP token. After you use a backup code once it\u2019s gone for good. Most people print out these Google Authenticator backup codes and keep them at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Google<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

It is imperative to understand that Google Authenticator is a multi-token, thus you can enroll many tokens for various websites using one app. Some of these websites provide backup codes, and a user can gain access to these websites if his\/her smartphone is lost. But what do you do with the websites which do not support backup codes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another point against Google Authenticator backup codes is – they are as secure as a password written down on a paper. An intruder can easily copy them if they are in physical vicinity and use them to gain access to your account. Granted, the intruder will have to be among your peers and know the user password, but you know… things happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other things that you might want to keep in mind when it comes to printed out backup codes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n