Learn how to easily export Google Authenticator accounts from your old iPhone and import them on to a new phone.
When you upgrade to a new iPhone, it can be daunting to go to the security section of each service and configure two-factor authentication again.
Thankfully, Google Authenticator lets you effortlessly move your accounts from your old phone to the new one. This ensures all or just the selected 2FA codes for the services you have added, like Gmail, Facebook, X (Twitter), PayPal, and more, are transferred from one device to another.
Log in with your Google account
If you have signed in to the Google Authenticator app on one iPhone, sign in with the same account credentials on your other phone, and you should see your two-factor authentication (2FA) codes on the new device.
I’ve Google Authenticator set up on my iPhone and my iPad with the same Google account. As a result, 2FA codes for my accounts are shown on both devices, and I can use them per my convenience.
Move all or selected two-factor verification codes from Google Authenticator on your old iPhone to the new one
Before you begin, make sure you have both phones nearby. Secondly, open the App Store on the new phone and download Google Authenticator on it.
After that, follow these steps to transfer Google Authenticator codes from one phone to another.
1) Open Google Authenticator on your old iPhone and tap the three-line hamburger icon from the top.
2) Tap Transfer accounts.
3) Select Export accounts.
4) You will see that all your existing accounts are selected. We recommend continuing this way, but you can uncheck some accounts you no longer want to carry over to the new device. After that, tap the Next button, and you will see one or more QR codes on the screen.
5) Now, open Google Authenticator on your new iPhone and tap the hamburger icon, followed by Transfer accounts > Import accounts > Scan QR code. Scan the QR code(s) you see on your old iPhone to import the accounts.
Once this is done, don’t forget to remove all exported accounts from the old iPhone if you are about to sell or give it away. To do this, below the QR code on your old iPhone, tap Next > Remove exported accounts > Done.
If you like, you may now even delete the Google Authenticator app from the old device.
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