Ask HN: How to enable 2FA for Google Account to use Authenticator app?

4 pointsbutz2 comments

When trying to enable 2FA (2-Step Verification) for a Google Account I cannot find option to use Google Authenticator app. Only options are "Use your phone as your second step to sign in", "Security Key" and "Text message or voice call". I don't want to link my account to a phone which potentially can be lost. I don't have a hardware key either. Now what?

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Their only docs suggest using an authenticator app (which presumably runs on the 'phone which potentially can be lost' anyway) is possible: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1066447?hl=en&ref...

If it's not showing up for you, you'd need to contact their support team to find out why.

Be careful with the Authenticator app, if you lose your phone, or it gets damaged or stolen, you have to resort to 'recovery codes' to get access, which only work one time in one browsing session only. If you're not careful you get locked out of your account meaning possibly hours on the phone to Google looking for an actual human.

I typically save the QR CODE TOTP seed image aswell as a recovery code to be safe. Stuff it in Bitwarden if you must, but do save these crucial items incase you forget your credentials.

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