How to Restore Google Authenticator if You Lost or Reset Your Phone

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A step-by-step guide to restoring Google Authenticator if you've lost or switched your phone

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: September 12, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Restoring from the Cloud
|
• If You're Still Logged In
|
• If You're Not Logged In
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• Transferring Authenticator (If You Still Have Your Phone)
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• Video
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• Tips

|Show more |Show less

If you use Google Authenticator to log in to sites using two-step verification, you'll need to transfer your Authenticator keys when you get a new phone. Now that Authenticator automatically backs up your one-time codes to your Google account, it should be easy—just install Authenticator on a new phone and sign in with your Google account. But what if you've reset your phone to factory settings or switched to a new phone without transferring Authenticator and weren't using cloud backup? If you can still access your old Authenticator (or have printed or screen-captured your QR code), recovering your accounts is simple. This wikiHow article will show you how to restore Google Authenticator onto a new phone or tablet.

Things You Should Know

• As of April 2023, Google Authenticator automatically backs up your one-time codes to your Google account.
• As long as you've updated Google Authenticator and it's connected to your Google account, you can restore Authenticator from the cloud.
• If you aren't backing up Authenticator, you can manually transfer your accounts to a new device or restore using your QR code.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Restoring from the Cloud

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1. 1
   Install Google Authenticator on your new phone. If you've updated Google Authenticator on your primary device after April 2023 and haven't turned off cloud backup, your Authenticator codes can easily be restored from the cloud.
2. 2
   Sign in with your Google account. Once you're signed in, your Google Authenticator codes will be restored. You should then see all of the accounts for which you use Authenticator on the app's main screen.

   • If you use Authenticator for 2-step verification to log in to your Google account but don't have access to Authenticator on your old device, you'll need to restore your Google account to get back in. To do this, go to https://accounts.google.com/signin/recovery.
   • If this method doesn't work for you, you can use the other methods in this article to restore Google Authenticator.
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Section 2 of 4:

If You're Still Logged In

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1. If Google Authenticator wasn't backed up to the cloud, check your signed-in accounts. If you don't have access to your original phone or installation of Authenticator, you might be in luck if you're still logged into your accounts. If you can still access the accounts you sign in to with Authenticator, you can reset Authenticator (or temporarily disable 2FA, which is possible on Discord, Microsoft, and other services) on those sites.

   • The process will differ for each site, service, or app, but you'll usually find the option to set up a new device in your Security or Authentication settings.
   • Some services will display a QR code or a key that you can enter into the Authenticator app on your phone to reset it.
   • Don't forget to check all your devices to see if any are still logged in. For example, if you logged in to YouTube on your PC or Mac, you can probably still access your security settings there.

Section 3 of 4:

If You're Not Logged In

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1. Restore access to your accounts. If your email or phone number is linked to the accounts you've added to the Authenticator app, you should be able to use the site or app's account recovery method to get back in. If not, and you created backup codes for any of the sites you use to log in, you can use those codes to log back into each site and then set up Authenticator on your new device like new.

   • If you try to log in, you should be prompted for your Authenticator code; look around and click the Try another way link (it may be worded differently).
   • Once you log into your account, reset the link to your Authenticator.
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Section 4 of 4:

Transferring Authenticator (If You Still Have Your Phone)

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1. 1
   Open the Google Authenticator app. If you still have access to your old Authenticator and aren't using cloud backup, you can easily restore all of your accounts onto a new device by scanning your QR code with that device.

   • The only way to recover Authenticator if you've lost your phone and weren't using cloud backup is to back up your QR code in advance. To make sure you're prepared in the future, you can also use this method to print your QR code and store it somewhere safe.
2. 2
   Tap the menu icon. This will be the three vertical dots on an Android or the three horizontal lines on an iPhone.
3. 3
   Tap Transfer accounts. This takes you to the Export Accounts screen.
4. 4
   Tap Continue (iPhone) or Get started (Android).
5. 5
   Select the accounts you want to include in the transfer. These can include non-Google services as well as any Google accounts that are listed.

   • More than one code may prompt your phone to make multiple QR codes.
6. 6
   Tap Export (iPhone/iPad) or Next (Android). You'll immediately see a QR code on the screen.

   • If you have a new phone, open the Google Authenticator app, tap +, and then Scan a QR code. Hold your new phone up to scan the QR code on your old phone's screen.
   • If you don't have the new phone yet or want to save the code for later, you can take a screenshot and print it.
     • On iPhone/iPad, you can freely screenshot each QR code.
     • On some Android devices, you won't be able to take a screenshot of the QR code. Instead, you'll need to take a photo of the code using another device, like your computer's webcam or another phone.
   • If you ever lose access to Authenticator, set up a new account, then tap Scan a code when you're going through the setup. This way, your account will be just like your old Authenticator account!
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Tips

• If you're locked out of a popular platform like Google or Instagram, you can use your phone number or email to regain access to that account and reset your Google Authenticator verification method.
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• Still have the old phone with your Google Authenticator account on it? Transfer all the information before you reset the old phone!
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