Lost your phone? Google finally fixes problem of getting locked out of apps.

Google Authenticator

Credit: Joe Hindy / Android Authority
  • Google Authenticator will now back up entries to your Google account.
  • You can access your Authenticator entries from your new device if you lose your phone.
  • You’ll need to update the app for this functionality to start.

Setting up two-step verification (commonly referred to as 2FA, or “two-factor authentication”) is incredibly important if you value privacy and security. Passwords are easy to hack (and you should still strive for strong passwords), but 2FA codes aren’t nearly as simple.

For years, Google’s free app, Google Authenticator, has been a great way to use 2FA codes. There’s only been one problem: your saved entries are tied to your phone’s hardware. That means if you lose your phone, you lose your codes. This is an enormous inconvenience, as a lost phone could mean a permanent lockout of apps you use every day.

LATEST ARTICLE

See Our Latest

Blog Posts

admin December 24th, 2025

Each year, the Modern Marketing Data Stack report captures a snapshot of where marketers are heading — and what’s changing […]

admin December 24th, 2025

For years, the multilayered data architecture of raw → transformed → curated has been the gold standard for transforming structured […]

admin December 24th, 2025

Welcome to Snowflake’s Startup Spotlight, where we ask startup founders about the problems they’re solving, the apps they’re building and […]