Guide

How to Transfer Google Authenticator to a New Phone Without Losing Access

2026-02-10 · 6 min read · Steven Adams · Last reviewed: March 2026

Switching phones while using Google Authenticator requires careful planning. Done correctly, the transfer takes 5 minutes. Done wrong, you could be locked out of dozens of accounts.

In This Guide

  1. Before You Start: Critical Preparation
  2. Transfer Using the Export Feature
  3. Manual Transfer Per Account
  4. If You've Already Reset the Old Phone

Before You Start: Critical Preparation

Do not factory reset or sell your old phone until you have fully verified that all your 2FA accounts work on the new phone.

  1. Make sure both phones are charged
  2. Install Google Authenticator on the new phone
  3. Have your old phone accessible and unlocked

Transfer Using the Export Feature

Google Authenticator has a built-in transfer feature (available on both Android and iOS):

  1. Open Google Authenticator on your old phone
  2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) → Transfer accounts → Export accounts
  3. Authenticate when prompted
  4. Select which accounts to export
  5. Google Authenticator generates a QR code
  6. On your new phone, open Google Authenticator and tap Transfer accounts → Import accounts
  7. Scan the QR code displayed on your old phone
  8. Verify that codes appear and work correctly on the new phone
Important: The QR code contains all your 2FA secrets. Do not let anyone else see it and do not screenshot it.

Manual Transfer Per Account

If the export feature doesn't work or you prefer a cleaner approach, transfer each account manually:

  1. Log into each service on a computer
  2. Go to security settings and disable 2FA
  3. Re-enable 2FA and scan the new QR code with your new phone

This is slower but gives you clean, verified 2FA setup on each account.

If You've Already Reset the Old Phone

If you no longer have access to the old phone's Authenticator app, you'll need to recover each account individually using:

  • Saved backup codes (the fastest option)
  • Recovery email or phone number on the account
  • Service-specific account recovery processes

See our guide: Locked Out of Account With 2FA — Recovery Guide.

The Fastest Method: Export and Import via QR Code

Google Authenticator's built-in transfer feature (Menu → Transfer accounts → Export accounts) generates one or more QR codes containing your account secrets. On your new phone, open Google Authenticator, tap Transfer accounts → Import accounts, and scan these QR codes. All selected accounts transfer in seconds. Keep both phones nearby during the transfer and make sure to stay on the Export screen until all QR codes are scanned.

Does Cloud Sync Handle This Automatically?

As of 2023, Google Authenticator syncs your accounts to your Google Account by default. On a new Android device signed in to the same Google Account, Google Authenticator should restore your codes automatically. On iOS, sign in to the same Google Account in the app and your synced accounts should appear. If you opted out of cloud backup or had an older version of the app, you will need to use the manual export method instead. Check the sync status in Google Authenticator under Menu → sync is on/off.

Moving to a Different Authenticator App

If you are switching from Google Authenticator to Authy, 1Password, or another app, note that Google Authenticator does not export to other apps directly. Each account needs to be re-enrolled individually: go to each service's 2FA settings, disable the old authenticator, and scan a new QR code with your new app. This is the safest approach as it ensures every service has a clean, fresh 2FA registration.

What If You Have Already Lost Your Old Phone?

If your old phone is gone before you transferred, you need to recover each account individually. Start with your email accounts (Gmail, Outlook), then use those accounts to reset 2FA on other services. For accounts without a recovery email, use backup codes if you saved them. For accounts where you have neither, contact support for each service. This is a time-consuming process — recovering 20 accounts can take an entire day. The only way to avoid it is to prepare in advance with backup codes or a syncing authenticator app.

Verifying the Transfer Was Successful

After transferring, do not immediately delete the old phone or the old app. Spend a few minutes signing in to your most important accounts from a different browser and confirming the new phone generates valid codes. Test at least your email, banking, and work accounts. Once you have confirmed codes work from the new device, you can safely remove the old authenticator app and deactivate the old phone.

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The Right Way: Export Before You Lose Access

Google Authenticator's transfer process must be done while you still have access to your old phone. If your old phone is already gone, wiped, or broken, the transfer process described here will not work — see the section below on what to do in that situation. The correct sequence is always: set up Google Authenticator on the new phone, transfer from the old phone while it is still accessible, verify codes work on the new phone, then wipe the old phone.

Step-by-Step Transfer Process

Open Google Authenticator on your old phone. Tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select "Transfer accounts," then "Export accounts." You will be asked to verify your identity with your device PIN, biometric, or password. Select the accounts you want to transfer (you can select all of them). Google Authenticator generates a QR code containing your selected accounts. On your new phone, open Google Authenticator (install it first if needed), tap "Get started," then "Import existing accounts?" and scan the QR code displayed on your old phone. Your accounts transfer immediately. Verify that codes on your new phone match codes on your old phone — if both devices show the same code at the same time, the transfer was successful.

Google Account Sync (Alternative Method)

If you have enabled Google account sync in Google Authenticator (added in 2023), your codes are already backed up to your Google account. Simply sign into Google Authenticator on your new phone with the same Google account and your codes will restore automatically. Check Settings → Transfer accounts in the app to see if sync is enabled. Note that this sync uses your Google account's encryption rather than a separate password — if your Google account is compromised, your 2FA seeds could also be exposed.

If Your Old Phone Is Already Gone

Without access to the old phone, you cannot use the export method. Your options are: use backup codes (saved during 2FA setup on each account) to log in and re-enroll 2FA, use a trusted device session that is still logged in to access account security settings, or contact each platform's support team. This process must be done account by account — there is no bulk recovery. This situation illustrates exactly why saving backup codes and/or using Authy's cloud backup is so important before you need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer Google Authenticator to a different app like Authy? Not directly — Google Authenticator's export QR code is not importable by Authy or most other apps. You would need to disable and re-enable 2FA on each account individually, scanning the new QR code into Authy. Use this as an opportunity to switch to an app with better backup.

Does transferring Google Authenticator remove codes from the old phone? The transfer process copies the codes — it does not remove them from the old phone. Both phones will show identical codes after transfer. When you are done, clear data from Google Authenticator on your old phone before wiping or selling it.

What if the QR code during export is blurry or will not scan? Ensure your new phone's camera is clean and you are holding both phones steady in good lighting. If scanning fails, Google Authenticator also allows manual entry — look for a "Can't scan it?" or "Enter key manually" option on the new phone during setup, then manually type the secret key shown alongside the QR code on the old phone's setup screen if you can access it.