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Authy desktop is gone. How to move your 2FA codes off Authy

Twilio says the Authy desktop apps for Windows, Mac and Linux "reached their End-of-Life on March 19, 2024 and are no longer supported" (Twilio's end-of-life notice). If you relied on Authy to get codes on your computer, here's how to move to something else without getting locked out.

The hard part, said plainly: Authy has no export

Twilio: "In order to maintain security for our users, the Authy application does not allow importing or exporting 2FA account tokens." (Twilio's export notice) There's no file to download and no QR code to scan into another app. The way out is to set up 2FA again on each site, one account at a time.

The good news: you can do it gradually, and Authy on your phone keeps working while you switch. Twilio itself recommends its mobile apps to former desktop users (Twilio's end-of-life notice).

Before you start

• Keep Authy on your phone until every account is moved. It's your way in while you switch.
• Set up your new authenticator first. In Never Lose Codes, setup shows your recovery key once. Save it before you add anything.
• Make a list of every account in Authy, so you can tick them off.
• Start with your email account. It can reset most of your other accounts.

Move one account (repeat for each)

1. Sign in to the site as usual, with the Authy code from your phone.
2. Open the site's security settings and find two-factor authentication or "authenticator app".
3. Set up a new authenticator. If the site lets you add a second authenticator without removing the first, do that: it's the safest. Otherwise follow Twilio's own steps: turn 2FA off, then turn it on again right away (Twilio's export notice).
4. The site shows a new QR code. In Never Lose Codes, choose Add account, then Scan with webcam, From a QR image (a screenshot of the code), or Type a setup key if the site shows a text key.
5. Type the code Never Lose Codes shows to confirm.
6. If the site gives you new recovery codes, save them.
7. Sign out and back in once with the new code to be sure. Then tick the account off.

Once a site has the new authenticator, the old Authy entry for it usually stops working, because the site made a new secret. That's expected. Delete that entry from Authy once the new one works.

If you turn 2FA off to set it up again, turn it back on in the same sitting. Don't leave an important account without 2FA overnight.

When you've moved everything

• Check your list: every account should have a working code in the new app.
• Make sure a backup exists: open Shield in Never Lose Codes and check the backup line. How to back up your 2FA codes covers this.
• Keep Authy on your phone for a week or two in case you missed one.

Questions

Can I keep Authy on my phone and use Never Lose Codes on my computer?

Yes, if you put each account in both apps from the same setup QR code while the site shows it. Both then show the same codes, which is a good backup for important accounts.

I lost my phone too. What now?

Then the old codes can't be read, and each site's recovery codes or recovery process is the way back in. Lost your authenticator codes? walks through it.

Never Lose Codes is a Chrome extension that keeps your 2FA codes encrypted on your computer, with backup files you hold and a recovery key. See how it works.