How to Move Your Authenticator App to a New Phone

Two-factor codes live on the phone, not in your account, and do not come across with a normal backup. Do this while the old phone still works.

Keep the old phone until the move is tested

Do not reset, sell, or return the old phone yet. Install the same authenticator app on the new phone and keep both phones in front of you.

Move Google Authenticator by QR code or by sync

On the old phone, open Google Authenticator, tap the three-line menu, tap Transfer accounts, then Export accounts. Select the accounts and tap Next; a QR code appears. On the new phone, open Google Authenticator, tap Import existing accounts on the welcome screen (or the three-line menu, Transfer accounts, Import accounts), and scan the code.

Recent versions can also sync codes to your Google Account: on the old phone, tap the profile picture and confirm the cloud icon shows the codes are synced, then sign in to the app on the new phone with the same account.

Move Microsoft Authenticator with cloud backup

On the old phone, open Microsoft Authenticator, open Settings, and turn on Cloud backup (iCloud backup on iPhone). It asks for a personal Microsoft account as the recovery account. On the new phone, install the app and tap Begin recovery (or Restore from backup) on the first screen, then sign in with that same Microsoft account. An iPhone backup restores only to another iPhone on the same iCloud account.

Work or school accounts show Action required after a restore and must be registered again from that account's security page.

Move Authy or 1Password by signing in

Both store codes in your account. For Authy, first open the old phone's Settings, Devices, and turn on Allow multi-device; then sign in on the new phone with the same phone number and enter the backups password. For 1Password, sign in on the new phone and the codes download with the vault.

Test one code, then remove the old phone

On the new phone, open a site that uses the app and sign in with a fresh code. Only after it works, delete the accounts from the old phone's app or wipe the phone.

If the old phone is gone or dead. Sign in with the backup codes each site gave you at setup, or through each site's account recovery. Then open the site's security settings, remove the old authenticator, and add a new one with the new phone.

If you never saved backup codes. Generate them now from each site's two-factor settings and store them in a password manager or on a printed sheet before you touch the old phone.