Google Authenticator Backup: Save Your QR Codes

TL;DR

Google Authenticator doesn’t have a built-in cloud backup. This guide shows you how to securely back up your accounts by exporting the QR codes, so you can restore them if you lose your phone or switch devices.

Backing Up Google Authenticator Accounts

1. Understand the Problem: Google Authenticator stores secret keys locally on your device. If you lose access to your device without a backup, recovering your accounts can be difficult (and sometimes impossible) unless you have recovery codes provided when setting up 2-Factor Authentication (2FA).
2. Option 1: Using Authy (Recommended): Authy is a popular authenticator app that offers cloud backups. This is the easiest and most secure method.
   • Download and install Authy on your current phone.
   • Open Google Authenticator and add each account to Authy one by one. Authy will guide you through scanning the QR code for each account.
   • Once all accounts are in Authy, they’re automatically backed up to their cloud service (you’ll need to create an Authy account).
3. Option 2: Exporting QR Codes with a Third-Party App (Android Only): Several Android apps can export your Google Authenticator QR codes. Be cautious when choosing an app and review its permissions carefully.
   • Important Security Note: Back up the exported files to a secure location like a password manager or encrypted cloud storage. Do *not* store them in plain text on your computer or phone.
   • Install an app like ‘Authenticator Backup & Restore’ (search on Google Play Store).
   • Open the app and follow its instructions to export your QR codes. This usually involves granting permissions to access Google Authenticator data.
   • The app will typically create a ZIP file containing individual images of each QR code.
4. Option 3: Manual Backup (Most Complex): You can manually back up your accounts by taking screenshots of the QR codes.
   • Open Google Authenticator and take a clear screenshot of *each* account’s QR code.
   • Rename each screenshot with the corresponding service name (e.g., ‘Gmail_QR’, ‘Twitter_QR’).
   • Store these screenshots in a secure location, as described in Option 2.
5. Restoring Accounts:
   • If you’re using Authy, simply install Authy on your new device and sign in to restore your accounts.
   • If you exported QR codes:
     1. Install Google Authenticator on your new phone.
     2. Open Google Authenticator and add a new account.
     3. Select ‘Scan a QR code’.
     4. Locate the QR code image for the desired service and scan it using the Authenticator app.
     5. Repeat for each account.
6. Recovery Codes: Always download and store your recovery codes when enabling 2FA on any service. These are essential if you lose access to both your authenticator app *and* your backup.