Google has announced an update to its popular Google Authenticator app for Android and iOS, which now enables syncing of one-time codes to your Google account, eliminating the risk of being locked out if you lose the device that stores them. Users of the app had previously faced the inconvenience of reauthorizing all their linked apps and scanning QR codes each time they switched to a new device. With the new update, all one-time codes are backed up automatically, and you can enable syncing by signing into your Google account and following the prompts.
Google has been advocating for password-free logins that use passkeys or other authentication technologies, but acknowledges that many people still rely on one-time codes. The update to Authenticator promises to reduce some of the headaches of using those codes until users are ready to move to another system. This may also encourage more people to use two-factor authentication as an added security measure.
While cloud backups for one-time codes are not a new concept – Microsoft Authenticator already offers this feature – Google’s Authenticator tool is widely used and has a large user base. With the new cloud syncing feature, Google hopes to make a tangible difference in users’ lives, especially since many apps now allow Authenticator to be used as an alternative to traditional passwords.
It’s important to note that users should ensure their Google account is secure to prevent intruders from accessing and misusing Authenticator. The latest version of Google Authenticator is available for download on both Android and iOS.
