Author

Topic: How to regain access to your accounts if you your Google Auth Device (Read 270 times)

legendary
Activity: 2758
Merit: 6830
I have also experience this kind of scenario with my Kucoin account and I have not manage to retrieve it. I dont care about it anymore though. I dont have much in that account anyway. Lesson learned: DO NOT LOSE YOUR PHONE.
No one ever expects to lose their phones. The lesson should be to use an 2FA OTP app that supports backups (such as andOTP for Android) or write down your secret token/save the QR code to help you restore your codes if you ever lose or break your phone.
newbie
Activity: 22
Merit: 1
I once lost a device with my Google Authenticator...Luckily, I had only 2 accounts on it. It was frustrating thou. So I decided to post this so that some newbies like me will not make the same mistake.

Write down BACKUP CODES!
Most sites provide you with backup codes when you create 2FA. These can be used once in case you do not have access to authenticator. Write them down and store in 2 physically different locations.

Double Device 2FA
You can also set up your 2FA on two devices whenever you enable 2FA or create a new account.

Write down the QR code
Click the "show code" or "can't read the QR code?" and get a text version that you can then write down. Dont forget to label the QR code or text code is (e.g. "2FA for KuCoin").

NOTE:
Keep your username, password, and 2FA phrase/QR code/recovery codes separate. If they are together, then it's no longer 2FA.

While writing your codes down, write it twice in case you overlook something. Write it down, and set up Google Authenticator from the key you wrote down (not the one on the screen), then verify via the code that displays on your phone. All to be on a safe side.

I have also experience this kind of scenario with my Kucoin account and I have not manage to retrieve it. I dont care about it anymore though. I dont have much in that account anyway. Lesson learned: DO NOT LOSE YOUR PHONE.
jr. member
Activity: 34
Merit: 1
Thanks for your useful information. Wink
jr. member
Activity: 238
Merit: 1
Good advice, I also once lost access to the device, this means that access to the account was also lost.
The project was not related to baitocoin and our forum.
It was a SAMP game.
Does anyone know?
So, after that, I keep all the codes in my house on the leaf.
And I advise you to do the same
member
Activity: 266
Merit: 10
The only way is using your backup code and I believe if the backup code is lost too, your account won't ever be able to recover. Recovering your account with a backup code is the only way google itself endorse and nothing more or less.
legendary
Activity: 2758
Merit: 6830
I would not use other unknown applications except Google Authenticator . I can trust this application. The rest I would not trust, the easiest way is to store the codes on a separate carrier, and it is better to have two flash drives where all the necessary data that you need to hide from unnecessary eyes will be stored.
Or you can just compile the app yourself: https://github.com/andOTP/andOTP

member
Activity: 170
Merit: 12
I would not use other unknown applications except Google Authenticator . I can trust this application. The rest I would not trust, the easiest way is to store the codes on a separate carrier, and it is better to have two flash drives where all the necessary data that you need to hide from unnecessary eyes will be stored.
legendary
Activity: 2758
Merit: 6830
How can I possibly transfer all of my 2fa's in Google Aunthenticator to andOTP for Android? Google Authenticator really sucks when it comes to backing up. If you accidentally deleted it you cannot recover it anymore, it can be really frustrating.
Disable your 2FA and activate again. But now, set them up on andOTP. Or if you have the backup code, just import them on the app.
jr. member
Activity: 168
Merit: 1
I used to use Google authenticator but due to fear of losing everything when my phone get lost or stolen I replaced it with an app called authy. With this app I can transfer this authenticator from one device to another.
legendary
Activity: 2310
Merit: 2073
The author of a topic wrote everything correctly. I once lost my phone with Google Authenticator installed and I forgot where I was writing the codes. I had to write in support of the Yobit exchanges and describe my recent actions on the exchange. Support disabled 2FA. Be careful not to lose the backup codes!
newbie
Activity: 26
Merit: 0
Thanks! very bad thing losting backup code
copper member
Activity: 630
Merit: 420
We are Bitcoin!
How can I possibly transfer all of my 2fa's in Google Aunthenticator to andOTP for Android? Google Authenticator really sucks when it comes to backing up. If you accidentally deleted it you cannot recover it anymore, it can be really frustrating.
I never used andOTP that  TryNinja suggested so I have no clue about it however I am using Authy desktop version. Top class!

You can backup your 2FA codes means if you uninstall the OS then restoring the Anuty will restore all of your 2FA codes.
sr. member
Activity: 1162
Merit: 450
You can also just use a 2FA app that doesn't suck and let you backup your codes.

E.g: andOTP for Android.
How can I possibly transfer all of my 2fa's in Google Aunthenticator to andOTP for Android? Google Authenticator really sucks when it comes to backing up. If you accidentally deleted it you cannot recover it anymore, it can be really frustrating.
legendary
Activity: 2758
Merit: 6830
You can also just use a 2FA app that doesn't suck and let you backup your codes.

E.g: andOTP for Android.
newbie
Activity: 54
Merit: 0
I once lost a device with my Google Authenticator...Luckily, I had only 2 accounts on it. It was frustrating thou. So I decided to post this so that some newbies like me will not make the same mistake.

Write down BACKUP CODES!
Most sites provide you with backup codes when you create 2FA. These can be used once in case you do not have access to authenticator. Write them down and store in 2 physically different locations.

Double Device 2FA
You can also set up your 2FA on two devices whenever you enable 2FA or create a new account.

Write down the QR code
Click the "show code" or "can't read the QR code?" and get a text version that you can then write down. Dont forget to label the QR code or text code is (e.g. "2FA for KuCoin").

NOTE:
Keep your username, password, and 2FA phrase/QR code/recovery codes separate. If they are together, then it's no longer 2FA.

While writing your codes down, write it twice in case you overlook something. Write it down, and set up Google Authenticator from the key you wrote down (not the one on the screen), then verify via the code that displays on your phone. All to be on a safe side.
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