Two-factor authentication (2FA) using an authenticator app is more secure than SMS messages, but what happens if you swap phones? If you use Microsoft Authenticator, here’s how to switch your 2FA accounts.

There is no way to export all of your accounts and then import them into a new phone, as we discovered. You must manually re-create your 2FA accounts on your new phone.

Microsoft Authenticator, thankfully, has a backup and recovery feature. It’s worth noting that 2FA is meant to make it incredibly difficult to access an account without the 2FA code. Most accounts provide backup codes that you may use if your phone is lost or destroyed.

How to Move Microsoft Authenticator

Before changing your authenticator device, make sure you have a copy of the backup codes for each account. You’ll be able to utilize those in the future if you have trouble recovering your accounts.

On Your Old Phone, Enable the Backup Option

You’ll need to switch on the backup option on your previous phone if you need to retrieve your accounts on a new phone. Open Microsoft Authenticator to do so. At the upper right, press the three vertical dots, then “Settings.”

Toggle on “Cloud Backup” on an Android phone or “iCloud Backup” on an iPhone under the “Backup” section.

Your accounts will be backed up to the Microsoft account you used to set up Microsoft Authenticator in the first place. An iCloud account is also required for iPhones.

It’s quite clear if you’re worried about what’s actually backed up. Your usernames and passwords, as well as verification codes and other metadata, such as the moment the backup was generated, will all be included.

Authenticator uses AES-256 to encrypt a JSON Web Encryption blob (JWE) file. It then adds the contents to the JWE and hashes it using SHA-512 before putting the whole file and Key ID in your account. If you want to learn more about the backup and storage procedure, there is a full explanation accessible.

Using Your New Phone’s Recovery Option

After that, you’ll need to download Microsoft Authenticator and install it on your new phone. For Android, go to Google Play, and for iPhone, go to the Apple App Store. Because the Recovery tool will replace matching site accounts, don’t set up any accounts using Microsoft Authenticator until after you’ve used it.

Let’s assume you set up 2FA in Authenticator on your new phone for the Gmail account abc@gmail.com. Authenticator on your previous phone, on the other hand, contains the Gmail account xyz@gmail.com. The Recovery tool will replace the abc@gmail.com account on your new phone with the xyz@gmail.com account from your backup.

Conclusion

This procedure, as described above, will surely aid you in transferring Microsoft Authenticator to a new phone. These tactics appear to be successful for a large majority of people.