Short answer: To transfer Google Authenticator to a new phone, open the app on your old device, tap the three-dot menu, select Transfer accounts → Export accounts, choose the accounts to move, and scan the generated QR code using the Import accounts option on your new phone. The whole process takes about two minutes and requires both phones to be in front of you.
The critical detail: do this before you factory-reset or hand over the old phone. Once the app is gone, the export option is gone with it, and you are into account recovery for every service you had enrolled.
Method 1: QR code transfer (both phones in hand)
This is the fastest and most reliable route. It moves your secret keys directly between devices without any server involvement.
On your old phone
- Open Google Authenticator.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the top right (or your profile icon, depending on version).
- Select Transfer accounts.
- Choose Export accounts.
- Authenticate with your PIN, fingerprint, or face unlock.
- Tick the accounts you want to move — or tap Select all.
- Tap Next. A QR code appears. If you have many accounts, the app may generate several QR codes in sequence.
On your new phone
- Install Google Authenticator from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open it and tap Get started, then Import existing accounts? at the bottom. If the app is already set up, use the menu → Transfer accounts → Import accounts.
- Tap Scan QR code and point the camera at your old phone’s screen.
- If multiple QR codes were generated, scan each one in turn until the app confirms completion.
Your accounts should now appear on the new device, generating the same codes at the same time as the old one.
Method 2: Google Account cloud sync
Modern versions of Google Authenticator can sync your tokens to your Google Account. If you enabled this on the old phone, simply sign into the same Google Account in the app on your new phone and your codes will populate automatically.
To check whether sync is on, open the app and look at the top of the screen — a signed-in account email means sync is active. If it says you are using the app without an account, sync is off and you need Method 1.
Sync is convenient, but be aware of the trade-off: your second factor for every account now depends on the security of one Google Account. Protect that account with a passkey or hardware key rather than relying on the authenticator it contains. We unpack this in more detail in our Authy vs Google Authenticator comparison.
Method 3: Your old phone is already gone
If you have lost, broken, sold, or wiped the old device without exporting, there is no way to extract the secret keys. They existed only on that phone. Your options, in order of preference:
- Use your backup codes. Every service that offers 2FA issues one-time backup codes at setup. Each works once in place of an authenticator code, and lets you log in and re-enrol.
- Use a secondary method. Many accounts have a backup phone number, recovery email, or trusted device you can fall back to.
- Start account recovery. Each service has its own process. Expect identity verification and, in some cases, a waiting period of several days.
Our full walkthrough for this situation is here: Lost your phone with 2FA? How to recover your accounts step by step.
Do this after the transfer
Exporting copies your accounts — it does not remove them from the old phone. That is deliberate, so a failed transfer does not lock you out. But it means the old device still generates valid codes.
- Test the new phone first. Log into two or three accounts using codes from the new device before touching the old one.
- Then wipe the old phone. Factory reset it, or at minimum delete the Authenticator app and its data.
- Save fresh backup codes. If you never downloaded them, now is the moment. Store them offline or in an encrypted password manager — never in a plain notes app or email draft.
Common problems and fixes
Codes are rejected as invalid on the new phone
Almost always a clock problem. TOTP depends on accurate time. Go to your phone’s date and time settings and enable automatic network time. On Android, the Authenticator app also has a Time correction for codes option in its settings.
The QR code will not scan
Raise the old phone’s screen brightness, disable any blue-light filter, and hold the devices about 15–20 cm apart. Cracked screen protectors and low brightness cause most scan failures. If it still refuses, re-enrol those accounts using the setup key for manual entry instead.
Some accounts did not transfer
A small number of services — particularly some banks and enterprise SSO systems — issue tokens that Google Authenticator marks as non-exportable. These must be re-enrolled manually: log in on the old device, disable 2FA, and set it up again on the new phone. If you are weighing up a different app while you are at it, our comparison of Aegis and 2FAS is a sensible starting point.
Only some accounts appeared after cloud sync
Accounts added before you signed into Google sync may not have been uploaded. Use Method 1 to export the stragglers directly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I transfer Google Authenticator without the old phone?
Only if you had Google Account cloud sync enabled beforehand. Without sync and without the physical device, the secret keys are unrecoverable and you must use backup codes or account recovery.
Does exporting delete accounts from my old phone?
No. Export creates a copy. The old phone continues generating valid codes until you delete the app or reset the device, which you should do once the new phone is verified working.
Can I transfer between Android and iPhone?
Yes. The QR export format is identical across platforms, so Android to iPhone and iPhone to Android both work without issue.
Is it safe to screenshot the export QR code?
No. That QR code contains your raw secret keys in plain form. Anyone who obtains the image can generate your codes indefinitely. Scan it live and never save it to your camera roll or cloud photo backup.
How many accounts can I export at once?
There is no hard limit, but the app splits large sets across multiple QR codes. Scan each one in sequence — the new phone will tell you when the import is complete.
The bottom line
Transferring Google Authenticator is a two-minute job when both phones are in front of you and a genuine crisis when they are not. Build the habit of exporting before any phone change, and keep offline backup codes for the handful of accounts you cannot afford to lose. If you are still deciding which app to commit to, our roundup of the best Google Authenticator alternatives compares the backup and migration options side by side.