How to get access to your accounts if you get locked out of Google Authenticator

The popular two-factor authentication (2FA) app, Google Authenticator, is one of the first picks for users who want to protect their data-sensitive accounts on the internet. It features a simple and easy-to-understand interface that lets anyone set up 2FA for their profiles on the web.

That said, there is a considerable disadvantage attached to non-cloud-based 2FA applications. Such services may expose their users to a dilemma when it comes to restoring their accounts, especially in the case of lost smartphones.

Getting locked out of a 2FA authenticator application can be a nightmare, especially if users don’t have a secondary option to log in to their protected accounts. In such cases, the outcome can be extremely unfavorable, with some users losing access to their accounts forever.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to tackle and prevent such a messy situation. To help users unlock their Google Authenticator app and their protected accounts, the next section features a few workarounds to simplify the situation.

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Workarounds to try if you get locked out of the Google Authenticator app

Two-factor authentication is one of the best ways to secure your account on the internet. However, it can be majorly inconvenient if you lose access to the 2FA code service you choose, especially if you use an application that doesn't provide cloud backup.

Google Authenticator provides no way to transfer your account to a new device if you don't have access to your old phone. Naturally, it will be difficult to recover authenticator data from a lost phone, but it's not impossible if you opt for alternative ways to log in.

Try the following tricks to work around the issue:

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Backup Codes for 2FA

You can use an account's backup codes to log in. Backup codes are additional tokens generated after you set up an account with a 2FA service. These are given out for use when you don’t have access to the authenticator service.

If you have saved backup codes for the account you want to log in to, simply go to the website, and when asked for 2FA codes, select the option for 'backup codes' or choose a different way to log in. Enter the backup code, and you’ll receive access to the account in no time.

If you are an employee looking to access a locked-out Google Workspace account, contact your administrator for a backup code. Alternatively, an administrator looking to access their account should contact another Workspace administrator for a backup code.

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Check if you are logged into a different device using the account in question

If a 2FA-activated account is logged in to another one of your other devices, you can access the service's security settings and disable 2FA. Once done, you can re-verify the account using the Google Authenticator app on a new device to regain 2FA access.

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Try looking for alternative options to log into the account

Most online services offer multiple ways to log in, in addition to 2FA. If you cannot access Google's 2FA application and the saved accounts in it, choose a different way to sign in, and you should see additional options. You can choose to receive a temporary recovery code via SMS, email, or voice call.

Once you can log in to the account, remove any saved 2FA settings from it and reconnect it with the Google Authenticator app to continue using it.

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Contact support

If none of the aforementioned workarounds fit your case, you will need to contact customer support for the service you want to log in to. As much as it can be an inconvenience, you may have to contact multiple customer support platforms to gain access to all of your Google Authenticator-protected accounts.

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Non-cloud-based 2FA can be a bit annoying to deal with at times, but it makes Google Authenticator one of the most secure 2FA token-based services out there. You can easily avoid being caught up in a 'lost phone' mess by setting up the application correctly.

You can switch to Microsoft Authenticator to access cloud-based backups for accounts. However, cloud-based 2FA services are always more susceptible to data breaches than offline apps.