Google Authenticator update allows importing/exporting accounts

Pmalek

legendary

Activity: 2730

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Quote from: ?? on ??

Will that transfer option work with WinAuth?

Sorry, that is not something I can help you with. I am not sure if there is a way to contact the support and ask them. I know that Google has a help center and community > https://support.google.com/accounts/community?hl=en
Maybe they can guide you in the right direction.

PrimeNumber7

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Amazon Prime Member #7

Quote from: BitcoinGirl.Club on May 14, 2020, 06:19:52 AM

Quote from: PrimeNumber7 on May 13, 2020, 12:36:22 AM

Quote from: o_e_l_e_o on May 12, 2020, 02:23:48 PM

Quote from: BitcoinGirl.Club on May 12, 2020, 02:09:59 PM

I did not know that it was paid.

It isn't. Authy is free. However, it is also not open source, so it's a poor choice of 2FA app. Google Authenticator, like all things owned by Google, is an even worse choice, though.

There are plenty of good, free, open source, apps out there which have far more functionality and have allowed encrypted exports and back ups for years. Options include andOTP and Aegis on Android, and Authenticator and Tofu on iOS.

Google authenticator is open source, and I believe you can generate codes based on your private key and the current time if you didn't want to use their app.

Before today, it was always a best practice to backup your authenticator private keys the same way you would backup any other private keys before you start using them. This principle has really not changed.

So before they have this backup system one would go through to this github application to extract the authenticator private keys? I am not github friendly guy and I am sure there are a lot of guys are like me. I still have not checked the updated GA yet, not feeling to check it too since I am happy with my Authy desktop version.

No, before today, if you wanted to backup your google Authenticator keys, you would have to do so when you given the keys when you import them into your phone.

BitcoinGirl.Club

legendary

Activity: 2800

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Farewell LEO: o_e_l_e_o

Quote from: PrimeNumber7 on May 13, 2020, 12:36:22 AM

Quote from: o_e_l_e_o on May 12, 2020, 02:23:48 PM

Quote from: BitcoinGirl.Club on May 12, 2020, 02:09:59 PM

I did not know that it was paid.

It isn't. Authy is free. However, it is also not open source, so it's a poor choice of 2FA app. Google Authenticator, like all things owned by Google, is an even worse choice, though.

There are plenty of good, free, open source, apps out there which have far more functionality and have allowed encrypted exports and back ups for years. Options include andOTP and Aegis on Android, and Authenticator and Tofu on iOS.

Google authenticator is open source, and I believe you can generate codes based on your private key and the current time if you didn't want to use their app.

Before today, it was always a best practice to backup your authenticator private keys the same way you would backup any other private keys before you start using them. This principle has really not changed.

So before they have this backup system one would go through to this github application to extract the authenticator private keys? I am not github friendly guy and I am sure there are a lot of guys are like me. I still have not checked the updated GA yet, not feeling to check it too since I am happy with my Authy desktop version.

PrimeNumber7

copper member

Activity: 1666

Merit: 1901

Amazon Prime Member #7

Quote from: o_e_l_e_o on May 12, 2020, 02:23:48 PM

Quote from: BitcoinGirl.Club on May 12, 2020, 02:09:59 PM

I did not know that it was paid.

It isn't. Authy is free. However, it is also not open source, so it's a poor choice of 2FA app. Google Authenticator, like all things owned by Google, is an even worse choice, though.

There are plenty of good, free, open source, apps out there which have far more functionality and have allowed encrypted exports and back ups for years. Options include andOTP and Aegis on Android, and Authenticator and Tofu on iOS.

Google authenticator is open source, and I believe you can generate codes based on your private key and the current time if you didn't want to use their app.

Before today, it was always a best practice to backup your authenticator private keys the same way you would backup any other private keys before you start using them. This principle has really not changed.

UserU

hero member

Activity: 2240

Merit: 537

FREE passive income eBook @ tinyurl.com/PIA10

OH MY GOD, FINALLY!

I don't have to disable and re-enable all 2FAs on a bajillion sites I registered on.

Google finally listens!

/s

bitmover

legendary

Activity: 2352

Merit: 6089

bitcoindata.science

Authy is amazing. I made a post about it a few years ago. It is a much better software than GA. https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/2fa-important-precautions-with-google-authenticator-3178131

GA is now becoming better, finally.. that's a very good update. But I will stick to Authy. You can even put an image and description for every account you have lol

nakamura12

hero member

Activity: 2268

Merit: 669

Bitcoin Casino Est. 2013

It is because of other authenticator out there that have this feature to move to other devices while google authenticator doesn't have this feature yet until now. I have used google authenticator before until I use Authy because of it. Authy is not paid service as mentioned above post and I have been using it for years.

Pmalek

legendary

Activity: 2730

Merit: 7065

Quote from: o_e_l_e_o on May 12, 2020, 02:23:48 PM

It isn't. Authy is free.

Really? Which authentication service am I thinking of that is a paid service? I will scratch that part from the OP.

o_e_l_e_o

legendary

Activity: 2268

Merit: 18748

Quote from: BitcoinGirl.Club on May 12, 2020, 02:09:59 PM

I did not know that it was paid.

It isn't. Authy is free. However, it is also not open source, so it's a poor choice of 2FA app. Google Authenticator, like all things owned by Google, is an even worse choice, though.

There are plenty of good, free, open source, apps out there which have far more functionality and have allowed encrypted exports and back ups for years. Options include andOTP and Aegis on Android, and Authenticator and Tofu on iOS.

BitcoinGirl.Club

legendary

Activity: 2800

Merit: 2736

Farewell LEO: o_e_l_e_o

This is very good addition for Google Authenticator. Only for this reason I moved from them to Authy.

Quote

Authy can do that for quite some time but Authy is a paid service while the Google Authenticator app is free.

I did not know that it was paid. I have been using it from few years I believe and never paid a sat yet 😝

Pmalek

legendary

Activity: 2730

Merit: 7065

I made a quick search and I didn't find any posts mentioning this.

After several years, the Google Authenticator app has had an update that has finally added an option to export and import the 2FA codes to other accounts.
Authy can do that for quite some time ~~but Authy is a paid service~~ (thanks for the hint BitcoinGirl.Club and o_e_l_e_o).

The user can select all or handpick the accounts he wants to export/import. I have also noticed that they have a dark mode now, not sure if it was there before.

Some more info can be found here
https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/6/21249621/google-authenticator-update-transfer-account-between-devices-2fa

Topic: Google Authenticator update allows importing/exporting accounts (Read 223 times)