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The exact steps depend on the app and account. Google Authenticator can sync entries through a Google Account or transfer them by QR code. Microsoft Authenticator restores from platform-specific backups, and work or school accounts may require an additional sign-in. A phone-number transfer alone does not copy authenticator secrets.
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Plan the migration before changing phones
Do this preparation while the old phone still works and you can unlock it. Treat every account in the authenticator as a separate dependency: one app can contain Google, Microsoft, banking, developer, employer, cloud-storage, and other accounts with different recovery rules.
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- Open the old phone’s authenticator and list every account or issuer shown. Include entries that use push approvals, one-time codes, or passkeys, not just six-digit codes.
- Identify the app precisely. Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator use different transfer and restore systems; another authenticator may have its own export, encrypted backup, or administrator-controlled process.
- Mark high-priority accounts such as your primary email, password manager, work systems, financial services, cloud storage, and domain or server consoles. Test these first after the move.
- Note which entries are personal and which belong to an employer or school. A managed account may require an administrator even when personal accounts transfer normally.
Confirm a recovery path
Find each account’s recovery codes and make sure they are readable before you start. Depending on the service, a fallback can be a backup code, a trusted device, another configured second step, a backup security key, or the provider’s account-recovery process. Store codes somewhere you can reach without the old phone, but do not put them in an unprotected note that travels with the device.
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Do not rely on a phone-number move as a replacement for an authenticator backup. Moving a number to a new SIM can help with phone-based verification, but it does not copy the secrets that generate app-based codes.
For a work or school account, check your organization’s instructions before removing anything. An administrator can disable self-service registration or require a help-desk reset. If the organization uses conditional access or a separate device-management system, follow that process as well.
Prepare both devices
- Charge both phones and connect them to a reliable network.
- Install the same authenticator app on the new phone from its normal app store, but do not erase the old app.
- Sign in to the backup account required by the app, if any, and verify that the backup or sync setting is enabled.
- Keep the old phone, its screen lock, and its authenticator data intact until all important sign-ins have been tested.
Set aside enough time to complete a real sign-in for your most important services. A migration is not finished merely because entries are visible on the new phone; some accounts restore a label first and require another registration step.
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Move Google Authenticator
Google documents two supported routes. Account sync is convenient when you are comfortable storing the entries in a Google Account. Manual QR export is useful when you do not use account sync or want to choose exactly which entries move.
Option 1: sync through a Google Account
- On the old phone, open Google Authenticator and sign in to the Google Account you want to use for synchronization.
- Confirm that the account entries appear in the app after sync is enabled. Do not assume that signing in to a different Google Account on the new phone will show the same codes.
- Install Google Authenticator on the new phone and sign in with that same Google Account.
- Open several entries and compare the account names with the old phone. A visible entry is not proof that the service has been fully tested; continue with a real sign-in later.
Sync avoids displaying transfer QR codes, but it makes the security of the selected Google Account important. Use the intended account and protect it with its own recovery methods. If the wrong Google Account is used on either phone, the new app can appear empty even though the old phone still has all the entries.
Option 2: export and import with QR codes
- On the old phone, open Google Authenticator’s transfer or export function and select the accounts to move.
- Have the old phone display the generated QR code. Selecting many accounts can produce more than one QR code.
- On the new phone, open Google Authenticator’s import or scan function and scan each QR code shown by the old phone.
- Check that every selected account appears on the new phone. If multiple codes were generated, continue until all of them have been scanned.
This route requires the old phone, the current Google Authenticator installation, and the new phone at the same time. It is a transfer action, not a recovery method for a phone that has already disappeared. Keep the two screens available until the app confirms that each selected account was imported.
If you have many accounts, transfer them in manageable groups and compare the old and new lists after each group. This makes it easier to notice an account that was not selected or a second QR code that was not scanned.
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Finish by testing the Google accounts
Sign out of, or use a separate session for, each important Google-protected service and complete a real login with a code from the new phone. Test more than one account because a successful transfer of one entry does not prove that every entry was exported.
Restore Microsoft Authenticator
Microsoft Authenticator uses backup and restore rather than Google Authenticator’s QR workflow. Microsoft’s instructions separate iOS and Android and limit restoration to the same device type.
iPhone or iPad to iPhone or iPad
- On the old iOS device, make sure iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup are enabled in the device’s iCloud settings.
- In those settings, allow Microsoft Authenticator to use iCloud. The backup cannot restore if Authenticator is excluded from iCloud.
- Install Authenticator on the new iOS device and begin its restore process using the same Apple account and backup context.
- Review every restored entry. Some accounts will be ready immediately, while others will show the account name and ask you to sign in again.
Check the iCloud settings before starting rather than discovering an excluded Authenticator backup after the old phone has been erased. The old device remains useful for confirming which accounts were present and for approving a sign-in while re-registration is completed.
Android phone to Android phone
- On the old Android phone, open Microsoft Authenticator, enable Cloud Backup, and select the personal Microsoft account that should hold the backup.
- Allow the backup to complete before changing devices. Confirm that the selected personal account is the one you can access on the new phone.
- Install Authenticator on the new Android phone and choose the restore option during setup.
- Sign in with the same personal Microsoft account used for the backup, then review the restored entries.
Microsoft documents restoration as same-device-type: an iPhone backup is intended for another iPhone, and an Android backup for another Android phone. Do not plan on a direct iOS-to-Android or Android-to-iOS restore of Authenticator entries. If you are changing platforms, prepare another account recovery method and expect to register the new device through each service.
Complete work and school account registration
For Microsoft work or school accounts, a restore may bring back only the account name. The organization may require you to sign in again and complete the Authenticator setup before approvals or codes work. Follow the on-screen registration flow and contact the administrator if it is blocked.
Do not delete an entry just because it asks for setup. The restored label can be the starting point for re-registration. Complete the requested sign-in, scan or approve the organization’s setup prompt, and then perform a separate test sign-in to verify that the registration is active.
Handle passkeys separately
If the account uses a passkey in addition to Authenticator, register a passkey on the new phone and test it before removing the old phone. Restoring an Authenticator entry does not automatically prove that a passkey has moved.
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Which transfer method fits your situation?
| Method | Old phone required? | Account or backup requirement | Platform constraint | What you still must do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Authenticator account sync | No QR scan, but the old phone is strongly recommended for checking entries | Sign in to the same Google Account in Authenticator on both phones | Not stated as a same-device-type restriction | Review entries and perform real sign-ins on the new phone |
| Google Authenticator manual QR export/import | Yes | Current Google Authenticator on the old phone and the new phone’s scanner | Transfer stays within Google Authenticator’s supported QR setup | Scan every generated QR code and test each important account |
| Microsoft Authenticator backup/restore | Old phone needed to create or confirm the backup; keep it for verification | iOS uses iCloud Drive, Keychain, Backup, and Authenticator access; Android uses Authenticator Cloud Backup and a selected personal Microsoft account | Restore is limited to the same device type | Re-register accounts that restore only a name, then test sign-in |
Choose the route that matches the app’s documented setup, not the route that seems fastest. A cloud restore can reduce manual work, while QR transfer keeps the operation visible on the two phones. Neither method removes the need to verify account access.
The old-phone requirement is also different by method. Google’s manual export cannot be done after the old phone is gone. A previously configured sync or backup may still be restorable, but only under the account and platform conditions documented by the app. That is why preparing the backup before a trade-in is safer than trying to reconstruct access afterward.
Verify access before wiping or trading in the old phone
Verification is the point at which a migration becomes safe. Do it while the old phone is still available as a fallback.
- Open the new authenticator and confirm that the important account entries are present and correctly named.
- For code-based accounts, start a real sign-in and enter a current code from the new phone.
- For push-based accounts, trigger an approval and confirm that the prompt reaches the new phone and can be approved.
- For passkey accounts, use the newly registered passkey in a real sign-in.
- Repeat the checks for your highest-priority accounts rather than testing only one service.
- Only after successful tests should you remove the old phone from account security settings, erase it, trade it in, or recycle it.
Use a sign-in that actually challenges the factor. Merely opening an already authenticated app, seeing a six-digit code, or viewing a restored account name does not demonstrate that the service accepts the new registration.
Microsoft’s official transfer guidance specifically advises keeping the old phone until you confirm that you can sign in to the accounts and resources you use most often from the new phone.
If the old phone is already lost, broken, or erased
There is no universal “restore every authenticator code” switch. A carrier moving your phone number to a new SIM can help with phone-based verification, but it does not copy secrets stored in an authenticator app.
Use another configured second step
At the account’s sign-in screen, look for an option such as another verification code, a Google prompt, a backup code, a trusted device, or a security key. Google lists these as possible alternatives for 2-Step Verification. Use the option that was configured before the phone became unavailable.
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Try the account’s alternate method before repeatedly entering guesses into the authenticator field. Each provider presents its recovery choices differently, and an option may be labeled “Try another way” or similar. Once access is restored, register the new phone and review the account’s other security methods.
Start account recovery when no fallback works
Use the provider’s account-recovery process and provide the requested identity or ownership information. Recovery timing and requirements vary by service; do not assume that proof of ownership for one account will unlock another. A cloud backup that was never enabled cannot be created retroactively after the old phone is gone.
Ask an administrator for managed accounts
If a work or school account cannot self-register a new Authenticator device, contact the organization’s IT administrator or help desk. They may need to reset the existing registration or issue a temporary sign-in method. Explain that the old device is unavailable and identify whether the account uses codes, push approvals, or passkeys.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common transfer failures
The new app is empty
- Check that you signed in with the same Google Account used for Google Authenticator sync or the same personal Microsoft account selected for Android backup.
- Confirm that the old device actually completed its backup or sync before it was erased.
- If using Google Authenticator without sync, repeat the manual QR export and scan every QR code.
- For Microsoft Authenticator, verify that the new phone is the same device type as the old one.
- Check that you installed the intended authenticator app; similarly named apps do not share entries automatically.
The entry appears but sign-in still asks for setup
This is expected for some Microsoft work or school accounts. Complete the additional sign-in and registration steps instead of deleting the restored entry. If the organization blocks registration, the administrator must intervene.
A passkey or push approval does not work
Treat that factor separately from one-time-code entries. Confirm that the new passkey was registered and that notifications and network access are available for push approval. Keep the old device until the new factor succeeds in an actual sign-in.
You cannot access the old device during a QR transfer
QR export is not a recovery path without the old phone. Use a synced account if it was already configured, another account recovery method, or the service’s recovery process.
Only some accounts transferred
Compare the account list on both phones one entry at a time. In Google Authenticator, multiple selected accounts can create multiple QR codes, so scan every code. In Microsoft Authenticator, distinguish entries that restored completely from entries that require re-registration; both can appear in the restored list.
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A FIDO2-compatible security key can provide an additional supported factor for accounts that accept security keys. It is an optional backup, not a device for copying authenticator codes and not a requirement for moving to a new phone.
Before obtaining one, check each service’s supported authentication methods and whether it permits more than one key. Register the key while you still have access to the account, and store a second key or another recovery method where the service supports it. A security key helps with future phone loss only after it has been registered in advance.
A compact migration checklist
- Old phone is charged, unlocked, and still contains the authenticator entries.
- Every important account and its authenticator app are identified.
- Recovery codes and at least one alternate recovery path are available.
- Google Authenticator sync or QR export is completed, or Microsoft Authenticator backup is enabled and restored on the same device type.
- Work or school accounts have completed any required re-registration.
- New codes, push approvals, and passkeys have passed real sign-in tests.
- Only then is the old phone removed, erased, or handed over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move an authenticator app after I have erased my old phone?
Only if the account already had a supported sync or backup and you can meet its restore requirements. Google’s manual QR transfer requires the old phone. Otherwise, use another configured second step or the provider’s account-recovery process.
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Will moving my phone number transfer my authenticator codes?
No. A number or SIM transfer can support phone-based verification, but it does not copy secrets stored in an authenticator app.
Can I restore Microsoft Authenticator from Android to iPhone?
Microsoft documents restore for the same device type. Plan an iPhone-to-iPhone or Android-to-Android restore, and use account-specific re-registration when changing platforms.
Why does my Microsoft work account show only its name after restore?
Some work or school accounts restore the account name but require another sign-in and Authenticator setup. Complete that registration or contact the organization’s administrator if self-service setup is blocked.
How many Google Authenticator QR codes do I need to scan?
Scan every QR code displayed by the old phone. Selecting multiple accounts can generate more than one code.
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After the new phone has passed real sign-ins for your important accounts, including code, push, or passkey tests as applicable. Keep the old phone until those checks succeed.
Is a security key required for a phone migration?
No. A FIDO2-compatible security key is an optional additional factor for services that support it. Register it in advance if you want it available as a future fallback.
The Bottom Line
Keep the old phone until the new one has completed real sign-ins for your important accounts. Use the authenticator’s documented sync, backup, or QR-transfer process, complete any work or school re-registration, and maintain at least one recovery option before erasing the old device.
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