Moving to a new phone? Keep access to your authenticator accounts

A phone transfer may move photos and apps without moving every sign-in secret. Losing the old phone before checking your authenticator can lock you out of important accounts. Start while the old phone still works.

A safer transfer​

1. List accounts that use an authenticator app, passkey, security key or text code. Save recovery codes in a secure place separate from the phone.
2. Check your authenticator provider's current backup or transfer method. Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator handle transfer and restoration differently; a general phone backup is not enough to assume either worked.
3. On the new phone, sign in to one low-risk account and confirm that its new code or approval works. Then test your important accounts, one at a time.
4. Only after every essential account works should you remove an old authenticator method or erase the old phone. Keep a second recovery method wherever the service allows one.

If a code is missing​

Stop the erase. Use the old phone, a saved recovery code or that service's official account-recovery process. Restoring an authenticator app can require signing in again to individual accounts. Review Google Authenticator transfer or Microsoft Authenticator backup for the app you actually use. Never send recovery codes to a person offering to help with migration.

Check the fallback​

For one important account, locate its recovery codes or second factor and confirm they are still valid without consuming a code unnecessarily. If the old phone is broken, use each service's official recovery route; importing an app onto the new phone may not recreate approvals for every account.