How To Move Google Authenticator To Your New Phone

Actually, an additional security layer to all of your online accounts is a must-to-do thing. There are numerous hacks as well as various database leaks. They all contain login information for online accounts because you depend on passwords for keeping the information safe and secure.

By using two-step verification (2SV), the risk of letting strangers access your account goes down. Obviously, you need to do more work and spend more time logging in your accounts, but it's all worth the chore.

Many two-step verification services give the user an option to either use an application or receive a text message containing a six-digit code for login. However, the latter way is not recommended as hackers can switch cell numbers to different SIM cards to steal your codes.

So, what is the safer option left is using a dedicated application to view the access codes, like the Google Authenticator application. Remember not to let the name of application fool you; this works with more than the Google account.

While using the application for viewing access codes, various questions may arise in your mind, such as what if you need to upgrade it or you want to get a new phone? Here's how to move the Google Authenticator application to a new device and completely disable it from the old one.

Step 1: Firstly, install Google Authenticator on the new smartphone (Android or iPhone).

Step 2: Now visit the two-step verification site of Google on the computer. Then, log in to the Google account for viewing the current two-step verification settings.

Step 3: In the Google Authenticator application section, click on 'Change Phone.' Select the type of the new phone. Follow all the prompts. (For disabling the Google Authenticator, click the trash can icon, then confirm the decision. Now, Google will revert to deliver two-step verification codes via text message.)

Step 4: Open Google Authenticator application on the new smartphone and tap on 'Begin Setup' and then 'Scan barcode'. Now, use the Authenticator app to scan the QR code shown on Google's site. Enter the six digits code to check if everything is going well and working properly or not. After that, the codes on the old phone won't be valid anymore.

Repeat the same process for every service currently used with Google Authenticator application, such as Facebook, Apple, Amazon or Dropbox. Do not delete the Google Authenticator application from the old phone unless all the accounts have been moved onto the new phone. Otherwise, all the accounts will be locked, and no one wants this.