MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION

Zara Connell
April 30, 2021

Do you use Multi-factor Authentication applications as part of your job? And how do you transfer them to a new phone?

Cyber security measures are increasing across industries reliant on cloud based software. With this comes new jargon, such as MFA (Multi-factor Authentication) and 2FA (2-Factor Authentication).

Accountants have had to quickly adapt to the implementation of 2 step authentication processes. Both to access and secure their clients data. Now that we have these apps, how do we transfer them to a new phone?

The majority of the authenticator codes can be linked to the Google Authenticator app. This makes it a simple process to transfer to a new device. The instructions below are specific to the Google Authenticator App.

Install Google Authenticator on your new phone or device.

ANDROID USERS:

1. On your old phone:

2. Open the Google Authenticator app

3. Tap the three-dot menu button

4. Select Transfer Accounts

5. Click Export Accounts

6. Select the accounts you would like to export to your new phone

7. On your new phone:

8. Open the Google Authenticator app

9. Tap Get Started

10. Click Import Existing Accounts at the bottom of the screen

11. Select Scan QR Code

Your old phone may have several QR codes to scan with your new phone, begin scanning these and follow the instructions to complete the transfer. You will get a confirmation prompt when each transfer is successful.

IPHONE USERS:

1. Navigate to your Google Account page (https://myaccount.google.com)

2. Click Security on the left-hand side

3. Scroll to the ‘Signing In’ to Google section and select Two-Step Verification

4. Locate Authenticator on iPhone and click Change Phone

5. Select the type of phone you will be using and follow the prompts

6. On your new phone, open the Google Authenticator app and select Begin

7. Select Scan Code and scan the code displayed in your web browser

8. Enter the six-digit code from your new phone in your web browser

9. Continue this process for the remaining services listed in the authenticator app of your old phone

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