Backup Lastpass Authenticator Backup Please Try Again Later

Posted By on Dec 20, 2017 |

Our regular readers know that nosotros strongly recommend applying two-step verification wherever information technology's possible. In the contemporary globe, where database leaks are a standing affair, 2-step hallmark is not an option, information technology is, in fact, a must. If you use two-factor verification, an intruder would need to go both the unique password you lot came up with, and the gadget, which produces the verification codes, to interruption into your account. Thus, 2-factor authentication protects from beast force, keyloggers, nearly cases of phishing and social technology. It too complicates man-in-the-middle and man-in-the-browser attacks.

Then why two-cistron verification is nonetheless unpopular? Sure, it creates an extra footstep to take to log in, just about users omit it non because of this extra time and effort, but because they are afraid of losing admission to their credentials if something goes wrong with their authentication devices.

"Every bit the world is increasingly interconnected, anybody shares the responsibility of securing cyberspace."

– Newton Lee, Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity: Total Information Awareness

From all available options of erstwhile passwords generation or commitment (SMS, emails, hardware and software tokens) most people choose Google Authenticator or other similar applications similar Authy, Protectimus Smart etc. Operating principle is pretty much the same for all the software OTP tokens – they generate authentication codes for logging into your account right on your smartphone.

Information technology'south very convenient to use the smartphone for 2-factor verification, only there are always these nagging questions: What practice you do if you lose the smartphone which generates your old passwords? What occurs if yous switch smartphones, do you lose the entire account? How do you lot transfer Google Authenticator to a new telephone? In this commodity, we will reply these nagging questions and help you lot protect your invaluable personal data.

| Read also: How does 2-factor authentication work?

iii ways to backup Google Authenticator

one. Backup codes

Google, as well as some of the other websites where you tin protect your user account with two-step authentication, provides backup codes. These are the one-utilise codes that allow yous to login into your account if you lose access to your OTP token. Afterwards you use a fill-in code once information technology's gone for good. Most people print out these Google Authenticator backup codes and keep them at hand.

It is imperative to understand that Google Authenticator is a multi-token, thus yous tin can enroll many tokens for various websites using ane app. Some of these websites provide backup codes, and a user can gain access to these websites if his/her smartphone is lost. Just what exercise yous exercise with the websites which practise not support backup codes?

Another betoken against Google Authenticator backup codes is – they are every bit secure every bit a countersign written down on a paper. An intruder can easily copy them if they are in physical vicinity and use them to proceeds admission to your business relationship. Granted, the intruder volition have to be among your peers and know the user password, but yous know… things happen.

Other things that you might desire to keep in heed when it comes to printed out fill-in codes:

You practise not accept them at hand at all times
You tin can lose the paper or destroy it by mistake
Only a few services provide them

Google Authenticator backup codes take their perks, but you have to be ready for the drawbacks as well.

| Read as well: Mobile Hallmark Pros and Cons

2. Saving screenshots of the secret keys

This is by far the easiest manner to never lose access to your account. When you commencement fix your Google Authenticator simply make a screenshot of the barcode with the secret cardinal. Go on the screenshot very secure though, if someone in your vicinity finds it they can admission your information. Please, mind, if information technology really happens and someone steals your hush-hush primal, they volition withal need to know your user password, so make sure it's non a simple combination to guess.

three. Programmable hardware token

Created as a more secure alternative to the authentication apps, hardware tokens Protectimus Slim NFC can exist used with Google, Facebook, GitHub, Dropbox etc. These tokens are hands programmed with an application for Android with NFC support.

The token looks like a credit carte and tin be carried with you lot effortlessly. So yous'll ever take an alternative source of one-time passwords on all times, for example, if your smartphone battery is out of charge or you've reset the phone or deleted the token accidentally.

Hardware OTP token Protectimus Slim NFC OTP token

The hardware token is far more than secure than a fill-in code on newspaper or a screenshot of the key – extracting the hush-hush central from the token is absolutely incommunicable. Protectimus Slim NFC allows for unlimited reprogramming, so every time yous change a token on a service you can merely reprogram it and stay protected.

The main drawback here is that one token allows for one secret primal only.

| Read also: Hardware or Software Token – Which 1 to Choose?

How to transfer Google Authenticator to a new phone

Android

1. Use a born Google Authenticator characteristic Transfer Accounts

If you use Google Authenticator on Android smartphone, now there is an easier mode to transfer it to a new phone. We are talking about a brand new "Transfer accounts" feature added to Google Authenticator recently. Unfortunately, this feature is available only for Android phones so far. If you use an iPhone, delight, encounter the instructions in the next paragraph or here.

At that place is no need to turn off ii-factor authentication on all your accounts and activate it once again. It's plenty to tap one push button on the Google Authenticator on your old phone, the app volition generate a QR code, and then yous'll demand to scan this QR lawmaking with the Google Authenticator awarding on your new Android telephone. That's it, all the tokens will exist moved.

Here is a step-by-stride guide for your convenience:

Download and install Google Authenticator awarding on your new smartphone.
Open up Google Authenticator on your old Android phone.
Tap the carte push at the tiptop-right of the app and choose Transfer accounts.
Choose Export accounts.
Select accounts y'all'd like to transfer to a new telephone and tap Adjacent. You lot accept to browse this QR code with the Google Authenticator app on your new phone.
At present open Google Authenticator on your new Android phone.
Tap the bill of fare push button at the top-right of the app and choose Transfer accounts.
Choose Import accounts.
Scan the QR code you take on your former phone. The tokens you've selected will be transferred.

Besides, you'll see a notification "Accounts were recently exported" in your old app. Pay attention to this message. If it wasn't y'all, who moved the Google Authenticator tokens to a new phone, take actions. Switch all your tokens in all your accounts to new.

Google Authenticator transfer to Android

ii. Manually Extract Your Credentials [Root Only]

Note: There are many ways to manually transfer Google Authenticator if you have an Android smartphone with root access to it. We do not recommend using them though. Getting root access tin significantly impairment the security of your apps and make the device prone to getting viruses and errors.

This is a more time and effort consuming way to transfer Google Authenticator fundamental to the other smartphone. It requires you to have root access to the smartphones.

To extract the cloak-and-dagger keys manually y'all demand to give adb root access, this is hands done with an app like [root] adbd Insecure if yous've got stock ROM. And in instance yous happen to have custom ROM you might already take the necessary root access adb, then no additional apps are needed.

Gear up adb onto insecure mode with the application or direct, connect the smartphone to your PC or laptop and copy the Google Authenticator databases to the computer using the commands.

This is the pathname:

adb pull /data/information/com.google.android.apps.authenticator2/databases/databases

After the file is copied you can open it and see the keys using these sqlite editor commands:

sqlite3 ./databases

select * from accounts;

Now you have your undercover keys and can add them to your new device.

| Read likewise: Twitter Ii-Factor Authentication in Details

iPhone

1. Move Authenticator to a different phone using Google account settings

NOTE: You lot will transfer only the Google token this fashion. This method works for Android phones as well.

With Google, it is pretty straightforward to transfer the authenticator and all the secret keys within it to some other smartphone. All you've got to exercise is go to the two-step verification page, click the "Get started" push, enter your password to verify information technology'southward you, and click the "Change phone" push button. Then either scan the QR or barcode, or put in the secret key on the other gadget manually. That's it.

Google Authenticator Chang Phone function

This works only with the Google account, the other accounts where you use Google Authenticator for two-stride authentication might not support this option. Yous will transfer only the Google token this way. So yous might want to endeavor the next 2 options instead.

| Read besides: Will Google'southward Authentication without Passwords Exist Safe?

2. Disable & Re-enable Two-Factor Hallmark

Disabling two-step verification is pretty easy if you still have your onetime smartphone. It's unremarkably required to enter the OTP from the currently used token to disable two-factor hallmark on whatsoever account. To disable 2FA for a while, merely click the "Turn Off ii-Pace Verification", "Delete the token", "Disable ii-step verification" or similar button, depending on the service you use. Yous'll detect it at the two-footstep verification page in security settings.

Then add the authenticator awarding to your new gadget and follow the usual steps to fix up Google Authenticator on the new phone.

| Read besides: What is Online Skimming and How to Avoid It

Conclusions

Two-stage hallmark is a reliable and reasonable fashion to shield your invaluable personal data. Whether you use a hardware token or apps like Google Authenticator or Protectimus Smart, yous at present know how to stay safe fifty-fifty if you change devices or lose your smartphone.

We showed you easy means similar Google fill-in codes and making screenshots of the hole-and-corner keys. And we showed you more secure option like the Protectimus Slim NFC hardware token.

You likewise know now how to excerpt the Google Authenticator information manually, transfer Google Authenticator to another phone and even shut off the two-factor verification if you lot happen to need to.

So now you do not have any excuses not to protect your info ameliorate. All that is left to do is come up up with proper user passwords which are not the name of your cat!

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Summary

Article Proper noun

How to Backup Google Authenticator or Transfer It to a New Phone

Description

How to fill-in Google Authenticator in instance you lot lose the smartphone? How to transfer Google Authenticator to a new phone? Hither are the detailed answers.

Author

Proverb Oliynyk

Publisher Name

Protectimus.com

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