Save Reddit two-factor backup codes before replacing your phone

An authenticator app may not move its Reddit secret to a new phone automatically. Reddit says backup codes are the recovery path when the app is unavailable, and its documented management flow currently uses a desktop browser. Generating new codes invalidates old ones. This is a preparation task: the best time is while your existing authenticator still works, not after you erase the old phone.

Before you start​

Use your own trusted computer and confirm you can sign in to the correct Reddit username. Ensure the email account on Reddit is yours and current. Do not save recovery codes in a public notes app, a screenshot synced to a shared photo account or a chat with yourself. Treat each code like a temporary key to the account.

Do it step by step​

1. On reddit.com in a desktop browser, open the username menu, Settings and Account authorization. Select Access your backup codes and enter your password as Reddit requests. Verify the domain before typing your password.
2. Store the generated one-time codes in a reputable password manager or an offline paper copy. Reddit currently issues ten codes. Keep them separate from the old phone so a lost device does not also expose its own fallback.
3. Before replacing the phone, test a normal sign-in on another browser with the authenticator code while you still have the old phone. This confirms the password, username and second factor you think you use are actually the ones connected to the account.
4. Move or re-enroll your authenticator using the method supported by that app and Reddit. Follow Reddit's two-factor setup guidance if disabling and re-enabling is necessary; do not casually disable two-factor protection without a working replacement route.
5. Test a fresh sign-in with the new phone. Use a backup code only if the authenticator route fails, and mark that one-time code as spent. If you generate a new set of codes, replace every old copy because the previous set is invalidated.
6. Check the saved codes and recovery email after the migration. Keep at least one second device or secure offline recovery route and review it before your next phone change.

Check the result​

A fresh browser sign-in succeeds with the new authenticator, and you have a safe, current set of backup codes that are not stored solely on the phone being replaced.

If something goes wrong​

If the codes are inaccessible but the old authenticator still works, sign in and generate a new set before wiping it. If you lost both authenticator and codes, consult Reddit's official support flow; do not assume email reset bypasses two-factor authentication. Multiple Reddit accounts need separate code sets.

Know the limit​

Backup codes are single-use substitutes for an authenticator code, not your Reddit password and not a general account backup. Reddit says code management requires desktop web access as currently documented. Interface wording can change; follow the account authorization section rather than a third-party recovery page. Reddit backup codes Reddit two-factor authentication