What you need to know
- Google Authenticator is receiving an update that brings a one-time code sync to your account.
- Google has stated that it hopes the change will alleviate some of the hassle and help the services retain users through “convenience and security”.
- The new Google Authenticator update is slowly rolling out, and users can follow the onscreen prompt to sync their codes.
Google Authenticator, the app that users can use for one-time passwords (OTPs), gains a useful additional feature. In a security blog post, the company said that it’s rolling out an update to the Authenticator app so that users can sync those passwords with their Google accounts on Android and iOS. Google cites user feedback as the catalyst for the latest update, which talked about the hassle of dealing with a lost or stolen device.
The Authenticator app stored passwords previously used for two-factor authentication (two-factor authentication) on the device it was on. Now, Google will store these codes inside your account instead. The company sees this as a way the user can prevent complete account lockout from lost devices, and this can help the services retain their users through “convenience and security”.
Google states that users can update the Authenticator app and follow the onscreen prompts to ensure their 2FA codes sync properly with their account. The support page states that users who are signed in to Google Authenticator will have their one-time codes copied automatically and restored on any new device they use.
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However, there are still ways to bring it up manually if you choose, along with the ability to continue using Google Authenticator without logging into your account or enabling the sync option.
Google has also outfitted the app with a new logo, replacing the old-looking “G” with a multicolored asterisk. Users will also notice a slight redesign of the app as well.
Google then touched on its efforts to create a “passwordless world” with its use of FIDO security. However, as we rely on passwords today, Google reiterates how important 2FA codes are, as well as protection from password managers and the ease of use of authentication methods like “Sign in with Google.”