Google has updated its 2FA Authenticator app for iOS with a new account transfer feature that makes it much easier to transfer two-factor authentication codes to a new iPhone.
2FA adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts by requiring a randomly generated six-digit code after you've entered your password. Google's app generates codes for your accounts on the fly, but until now the process of transferring accounts to a new iPhone was time-consuming and involved multiple steps.
Thankfully, that's no longer the case, and you can now select which accounts to export by tapping the three dots in the top-right corner of the app and choosing Export accounts.
After you've chosen which accounts to export (you can export up to 10 accounts at a time), the Authenticator app will generate a QR code. Scan this code using the Authenticator app on your new device, and the chosen accounts will be automatically transferred.
In addition to 2FA export, the latest update to the app also adds a refreshed interface and Dark Mode support, which respects your systemwide settings.
Remember, if you buy a new iPhone to replace your existing one and you use the Google Authenticator app, you should transfer those accounts to your new phone as soon as possible, because without the 2FA codes close at hand, you could find yourself locked out of your online accounts.
Google Authenticator is a free download for iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]
Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by Juli Clover
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week.
Past Launch Dates
Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Monday December 1, 2025 2:16 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today.
Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Monday December 1, 2025 4:36 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer.
The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC.
Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple.
Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Cyber Week is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Specifically,...
Monday December 1, 2025 8:40 am PST by Joe Rossignol
The calendar has turned to December, and the quieter year-end holiday season is now upon us. Nevertheless, we can still expect a few things from Apple this month.
Apple previously announced that iOS 26.2 will be released to the general public in December, and we can expect corresponding updates to be released as well, including iPadOS 26.2, macOS 26.2, watchOS 26.2, tvOS 26.2, and visionOS...
Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
Too few, too late. Authy has taken the spot as a decent and easy to transfer 2FA application with a much better approach of using iCloud storage for backups and restore. Move along, Google - you had your time.
I use Microsoft Authenticator now (I used Google Authenticator for many years and Authy for a year or two) and I'm very happy with it. Many ways to add your codes, backups (if you want, you can disable it), plus password-less login to your Microsoft account which I initially didn't think I'd use but boy is it a time-saver. You can also perform several security related tasks on your Microsoft account through the app. For someone like me with one foot in the Microsoft world and one foot in the Apple world it's perfect.
Yep, I'm in the OTP Auth camp too (https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/otp-auth/id659877384). Hassle-free syncing across devices, Safari plugins to make entering the codes a doddle. I don't know why people would use Google's version. Even this solution requires that you have the new and old phone at the same time, so doesn't work for trade ins, or replacements of lost/broken phones.
I appreciate not storing the keys in the cloud is more secure, but come on, they're stored encrypted in iCloud with a key Apple don't have. I doubt anybody with the power to hack that is particularly interested in pretending to be me on MacRumors forums!
