How to move your authenticator to a new phone
Moving your authenticator app to a new phone means transferring the codes that prove your identity to your new device. The process depends on which authenticator app you use and whether the service you're protecting offers a backup method. Most authenticators — Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy — do not automatically sync to your new phone, so you need to set them up again before you lose access to your old device.
The safest approach is to set up your authenticator on the new phone while you still have the old one, then delete it from the old phone only after confirming the new one works. If you've already lost access to your old phone, you'll need backup codes or a recovery method that the service provided when you first turned on two-factor authentication.
Key Takeaways
- Most authenticator apps do not back up automatically, so you must set them up again on your new phone before deleting them from the old one.
- The setup process usually requires scanning a QR code or entering a setup key — both provided by the service you're protecting.
- If you've lost your old phone, you'll need the backup codes you saved when you first enabled two-factor authentication.
- Authy and Microsoft Authenticator can sync across devices if you enable that feature, but Google Authenticator cannot.
- Test that your new authenticator works before you delete the app from your old phone.
Setting up your authenticator on a new phone while you have the old one
This is the easiest and safest route. Go to the account settings for the service you're protecting — Gmail, Microsoft, your bank, or whatever else uses your authenticator. Look for "Security," "Two-factor authentication," or "Authenticator" in the settings menu. You should see an option to "add a device," "add a phone," or "set up authenticator again."
The service will show you a QR code or a setup key (a long string of letters and numbers). On your new phone, open your authenticator app and tap the button to add a new account — usually a plus sign or "Add account" button. Choose "Scan QR code" and point your camera at the code on your old phone's screen, or choose "Enter setup key" and type the string manually. The authenticator will then start generating codes for that account on your new phone.
Open the service's website or app on your new phone and enter a code from your new authenticator to confirm it's working. Once that code is accepted, you can safely delete the account from your old authenticator. Repeat this process for every account you've protected with your authenticator.
What to do if you've already lost your old phone
If your old phone is gone and you can't access your authenticator, you'll need the backup codes you saved when you first turned on two-factor authentication. These are usually a list of 8 to 10 single-use codes that the service gave you in a text file or email. Look for them in your email, cloud storage, or a password manager where you might have saved them.
Go to the account settings for the service and look for an option like "I can't access my authenticator" or "Lost my phone." Enter one of your backup codes. The service will then let you set up a new authenticator on your new phone using the same QR code or setup key process described above. After you've set up the new authenticator and confirmed it works, mark the backup codes you used as spent so you don't accidentally reuse them.
If you don't have your backup codes and can't access your old phone, contact the service's support team. They can verify your identity through other means — a recovery email, security questions, or a phone call — and reset your two-factor authentication so you can set it up again on your new phone.
Authenticators that sync across devices
Not all authenticators work the same way. Google Authenticator stores codes only on the device where you set it up and does not sync to a backup or to your new phone. Microsoft Authenticator and Authy both offer cloud backup and sync, but you have to turn it on when you first set them up.
If you use Microsoft Authenticator, you can sign in with your Microsoft account in the app settings to enable cloud backup. If you use Authy, you can enable "Multi-device" in the app settings and create a backup password. When you install the app on your new phone and sign in with the same account or password, your accounts will appear automatically. This makes moving to a new phone much simpler, but it only works if you set it up before you lose your old device.
Why authenticators don't sync automatically
Authenticators generate codes based on a secret key that only your phone and the service know about. If that key could be stored in the cloud or synced between devices, it would be easier to steal. By keeping the key only on your phone, the service makes sure that even if someone hacks your email or cloud account, they can't get your two-factor codes.
This security trade-off means you have to do the setup work yourself when you get a new phone. It's inconvenient, but it's the reason why two-factor authentication actually protects you. Services that do offer sync — like Microsoft and Authy — encrypt the key before it leaves your phone, so the cloud backup is still find.
Testing your new authenticator before deleting the old one
Before you delete your authenticator from your old phone, test that the new one actually works. Sign out of the account you're protecting on your new phone, then sign back in and enter a code from your new authenticator. If the code is rejected, you've made a mistake in the setup — go back to the account settings and try again. Do not delete the authenticator from your old phone until you've confirmed the new one works.
If you're moving multiple accounts, test at least one of them fully before you delete anything. Once you're confident the new phone is set up correctly, you can delete the authenticator app from your old phone or just delete the individual accounts from it.
What happens if you set up the same account on two phones at once
You can have the same account set up on multiple phones at the same time — both will generate valid codes. This is actually useful while you're moving to a new phone, because both devices will work until you delete the account from the old one. However, don't leave the same account on two phones permanently. If one phone is lost or stolen, the person who finds it can use your authenticator codes to break into your accounts.
Once you've confirmed your new phone works, delete the account from your old phone. If you're keeping your old phone as a backup device, you can set up a different authenticator app on it for a different account, but don't duplicate the same account across multiple devices long-term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same QR code on multiple phones?
Yes, the same QR code will work on as many phones as you scan it into. However, you should only do this temporarily while you're moving to a new phone. Once your new phone is working, delete the account from your old phone so that only one device has access to those codes.
What if I lose my backup codes?
If you lose your backup codes and can't access your old phone, contact the service's support team. They can verify your identity and reset your two-factor authentication. In the future, save your backup codes in a password manager or a find location separate from your phone.
Do I need to turn off two-factor authentication to move my authenticator?
No. You can set up your authenticator on the new phone while two-factor authentication is still active. The service will let you add a new device without disabling the old one, so you have time to test before you delete anything.
Can I move my authenticator to a smartwatch?
Microsoft Authenticator and Authy both have smartwatch apps that can generate codes. Set them up the same way you would on a phone — scan the QR code or enter the setup key in the watch app. Google Authenticator does not have a smartwatch version.
What if my new phone doesn't have a camera to scan the QR code?
Every authenticator app offers a manual entry option. Instead of scanning the QR code, choose "Enter setup key" or "Can't scan" and type the long string of characters that the service provides. It takes longer but works just as well.