Similar to Authy, Google Authenticator is a useful app for people who regularly use two-factor authentication (2FA) to log in to supported apps and websites.
With the latest update, Google Authenticator will sync all one-time authentication codes to the user's Google account. Previously, one-time Authenticator codes were stored on a single device, and losing that device meant losing the ability to log in to any service set up with Authenticator's 2FA.
To take advantage of the sync feature, users now simply need to update their Authenticator app. If they’re signed in to their Google Account in Google Authenticator, their codes will be automatically backed up and restored on any new device they choose to change to. Users can also manually transfer codes to another device, even if they’re not signed in to Google.
Cloud syncing makes Google Authenticator more useful
The new update to Authenticator shows that the company is looking to develop convenience for users without sacrificing security, said Christiaan Brand, group product manager at Google.
Writing on Google’s blog, Brand said Google Authenticator was released for free in 2010 to make it easier for users to add an extra layer of security. The new update makes one-time codes more durable by storing them securely in users’ Google Accounts.
However, according to Techcrunch , Google has not always been transparent about Authenticator’s roadmap. The app started out as an open source project, but has since become proprietary. The official open source portion of the app on Android, iOS, and BlackBerry hasn’t been updated in years.
Authenticator also has long-standing competition for 2FA app alternatives. Authy is one of the most popular options, along with Duo, the app of choice for The New York Times .
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