Lost the backup codes for two-factor authentication

Symptoms

• Can't find the backup codes given when 2FA was first set up
• Still able to log in normally using your phone or authenticator app
• Concerned about what happens if the phone is lost later
• No physical or digital copy saved anywhere

Likely causes

• CommonBackup codes were never saved somewhere accessibleCodes are often shown once during setup and easy to forget to save properly.
• PossibleCodes saved in a location later lost or deletedA note or file with the codes might have been deleted, or the device storing them was replaced.

What to do

1. While you can still log in normally, go into the account's two-factor authentication settings.
2. Look for an option to generate new backup codes, which typically invalidates the old set.
3. Save the new codes in a secure, memorable place, such as a password manager's secure notes feature.
4. Consider printing a physical copy and storing it somewhere safe as a backup to the digital copy.
5. Repeat this process for every account where you rely on 2FA and don't have current backup codes.
6. Avoid saving backup codes in an easily accessible plain text file on the same device as the authenticator app.
7. Recheck periodically that your saved codes are still current, since some services rotate them automatically.

When to call a pro

If you've already lost both your authentication device and the backup codes, use the account's identity-verification recovery process instead of trying to generate new codes.

Safety