Change authenticator to new phone

A common task! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you change your authenticator to a new phone:

Before you start:

  1. Make sure you have the old phone and the new phone handy.
  2. Ensure you have the authenticator app installed on both phones (e.g., Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, etc.).
  3. Take note of the following:
    • The account(s) you want to transfer the authenticator to the new phone.
    • The secret key or QR code used to set up the authenticator on the old phone.

Transferring the authenticator to the new phone:

Method 1: Using the QR code

  1. Open the authenticator app on the old phone and go to the account settings.
  2. Find the option to "Scan QR code" or "Backup/Restore" and select it.
  3. Scan the QR code displayed on the old phone using the camera on the new phone.
  4. The authenticator app on the new phone will detect the QR code and import the account settings.
  5. Verify the account settings on the new phone to ensure everything is correct.

Method 2: Using the secret key

  1. Open the authenticator app on the old phone and go to the account settings.
  2. Find the option to "Backup/Restore" or "Export/Import" and select it.
  3. Note down the secret key or export it to a secure location (e.g., a password manager).
  4. On the new phone, open the authenticator app and go to the account settings.
  5. Select the option to "Import" or "Restore" and enter the secret key you noted down earlier.
  6. Verify the account settings on the new phone to ensure everything is correct.

Additional steps:

  1. Update the authenticator app on the new phone to ensure you have the latest version.
  2. Verify that the authenticator app is working correctly on the new phone by generating a new code and entering it on the account's login page.
  3. If you're using multiple-factor authentication (MFA) for multiple accounts, repeat the process for each account.

That's it! You should now have your authenticator set up on your new phone.