How do I transfer Google Authenticator to a new phone?

In Google Authenticator, tap the menu and select Transfer accounts, then Export accounts. Scan the QR code on your new phone to import all your accounts.

Does Authy automatically sync to a new phone?

Yes. Authy uses encrypted cloud backup. Sign in to Authy on your new phone and your accounts are restored automatically.

What happens to 2FA if I lose my old phone before transferring?

Use backup codes if you saved them. If not, you'll need to use account recovery on each service individually — usually through email or identity verification.

How to Set Up 2FA on a New Phone Without Losing Access

Getting a new phone when you have 2FA enabled across dozens of accounts is one of the most nerve-wracking parts of upgrading. Do it wrong and you could be locked out permanently. Do it right and the whole process takes about 20 minutes.

In This Guide

Step 1: Do This Before You Switch Phones
Step 2: Transfer Your Authenticator App
Transferring Google Authenticator
Transferring Authy
Step 3: Verify Everything Works
If You Already Switched and Are Locked Out

Step 1: Do This Before You Switch Phones

The most important thing is not to wipe or trade in your old phone until you've confirmed 2FA is working on the new one. Many people hand in their old phone at a carrier store before setting up their authenticator on the new device — this is how people get locked out.

Also, locate your backup codes for each important account before you start. These are the one-time codes you were given when you first set up 2FA. If you saved them, keep them accessible during the transfer process. If you don't have them, generate new ones from each account's security settings now, while you still have access.

Step 2: Transfer Your Authenticator App

How you transfer depends on which authenticator app you use. The two most common are Google Authenticator and Authy — and they work very differently.

Transferring Google Authenticator

Google Authenticator added an "Export accounts" feature that makes transferring straightforward. On your old phone, open Google Authenticator → tap the three-dot menu → Transfer accounts → Export accounts. Select all accounts and it generates a QR code. On your new phone, open Google Authenticator → Transfer accounts → Import accounts → scan the QR code from your old phone.

If you have Google Account sync enabled (added in 2023), your codes are automatically synced to your Google Account and will appear on the new phone when you sign in. See our full Google Authenticator transfer guide for step-by-step details.

Transferring Authy

Authy stores your codes in an encrypted cloud backup, so switching phones is easier. Install Authy on your new phone, sign in with the same phone number, and your codes will sync automatically after you enter your backup password. The key is having your backup password — if you've forgotten it, you'll need to use backup codes for each account.

Authy also has a "multi-device" feature that lets you keep both phones active during a transition, which is useful.

Step 3: Verify Before Wiping Your Old Phone

After the transfer, log out of one of your important accounts and log back in using the 2FA code from your new phone. Confirm it works. Then test 2-3 more accounts. Only once you've confirmed everything works should you proceed with wiping or trading in your old phone.

If something doesn't work — use your backup codes to access the account, then disable and re-enable 2FA from scratch on your new phone.

If You Already Switched and Are Locked Out

If you've already wiped your old phone and now can't access 2FA codes, you have a few options. Try your saved backup codes first — this is what they're for. If you don't have backup codes, use the account's recovery process: most services allow recovery via verified email address, trusted phone number, or identity verification. See our guide on what to do when locked out of a 2FA account.

For Google specifically, the account recovery process is thorough but can take 3-5 days to verify your identity. For crypto exchanges, recovery options are often more limited — contact support immediately.

Key Takeaways

Transfer your authenticator before wiping your old phone. Save backup codes before you start. Test on your new phone before completing the handover. If you use Authy, the process is largely automatic. If you use Google Authenticator, use the built-in export feature or enable Google sync.

The Golden Rule: Transfer Before You Wipe

The single most important rule when switching to a new phone is to transfer your authenticator app data before wiping or selling your old phone. Once your old phone is wiped, the authenticator app and all its stored 2FA secrets are gone permanently. If you have not transferred them, you will need to go through account recovery for every service where you use 2FA — a process that can take days per account and is not guaranteed to succeed for all services.

Transferring by Authenticator App Type

The transfer process depends on which authenticator app you use. If you use Authy: install Authy on your new phone, verify your phone number, enter your Authy backup password, and all your codes restore automatically — this is the easiest path. If you use Google Authenticator: open the app on your old phone, tap the three-dot menu → Transfer accounts → Export accounts, scan the QR code with Google Authenticator on your new phone. All codes transfer in one step. If you use Microsoft Authenticator: enable cloud backup in the app settings on your old phone before switching, then restore from backup on the new phone using your Microsoft account. If you use Aegis or Raivo: use the app's export function to create an encrypted backup file, transfer it to your new phone, and import it into the new app installation.

What to Do If You Already Wiped Your Old Phone

If your old phone is already gone and you did not transfer your authenticator data, you will need to recover access to each 2FA-protected account individually. Start with your email account — use backup codes if you have them, or use Google/Microsoft/Apple's account recovery process. Once email is restored, work through other accounts in order of importance. For each account: check if you saved backup codes in a password manager, check for a trusted device session still logged in somewhere, or contact the platform's support team. Some platforms (Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook) can recover access through identity verification. Crypto exchanges require government ID. A few platforms (Reddit) cannot recover access without backup codes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run my authenticator app on both my old and new phone simultaneously during the transition? Yes — this is actually recommended. Set up the authenticator app on your new phone while still having the old one working. Verify each account's codes match on both devices before wiping the old phone. With Google Authenticator's export or Authy's multi-device sync, both phones show identical codes.

Do I need to update 2FA on all my accounts after getting a new phone? Not necessarily — if you transferred your authenticator app correctly, your existing 2FA setup continues to work unchanged on the new device. You only need to re-enroll if you failed to transfer the secret keys.

What if some accounts are not in my authenticator app? Some accounts may have used SMS 2FA (which works on any phone with the same number), email 2FA (which works regardless of phone), or hardware security keys (which are physical devices not tied to your phone). Only TOTP authenticator app codes are tied to your specific app installation and need to be transferred.