Google Updates Authenticator App Ahead of iOS 15's Upcoming Built-in Code Generator

Google has updated its 2FA Authenticator app for iOS with a new privacy feature that lets users require Face ID or Touch ID before displaying two-factor account authentication codes.

google authenticator app
Previously, fingerprint or facial authentication was only required when exporting accounts. Now though, upon activating Google's Privacy Screen feature in v3.2.0 of the app, ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ is needed in order to show newly generated codes.

The authentication requirement can be set to show immediately, after 10 seconds, 1 minute, or 10 minutes. In addition, Google has added a search bar to the top of the app interface to let users search for accounts.

Google Authenticator's previous update introduced a dark mode and the aforementioned account transfer feature. However, the latest improvements are likely to be seen by many Apple device users as verging on the redundant, following the news earlier this month that iOS 15 will include a built-in password authenticator.

When Apple releases iOS 15 in the fall, iPhone and iPad users will be able to natively generate 2FA verification codes for additional sign-in security, so there will be no need for a separate app.

Apple says that you'll be able to set up verification codes under Passwords in the Settings app. And once set up, the codes will autofill when you sign into a site, making the use of two-factor authentication a more streamlined experience than using a third-party method. This feature will be available on ‌iOS 15‌, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey.

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Top Rated Comments

Marshall73 Avatar
53 months ago
Why wouldn’t Google update their app? Seems a bit of a clickbait title.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
psuchari Avatar
53 months ago

There's no way. You need to:

* Disable 2FA using the old app.
* Re-enable 2FA using the new app.

The generated codes are tied to your unique hardware, and each app will use a different algorithm.

If the codes were transferrable, that would make them far less secure. Someone could steal your "profile" and have working codes for all of your accounts on their device. But instead, your device is the only one that will generate the correct codes. That's why it's secure.
Not really. It’s just the seed key and time based. If you saved the QR code when you set up the account, you can readd it
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cupcakes2000 Avatar
53 months ago
What a weird headline. Just because Apple introduce something everyone should stop updating similar software? Talk about trying to create a story out of nothing. Clickbait or what. Say it for what it is:
FRONT PAGE NEWS - GOOGLE UPDATES APP.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jgbr Avatar
53 months ago
because some of us want a fully independent 2FA app, that we can do a lot more with, in an application not buried or inherently tied to one browser or system.?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
53 months ago

I wonder how easy it'll be to migrate from, say, Authy to the native 2FA app.
There's no way. You need to:

* Disable 2FA using the old app.
* Re-enable 2FA using the new app.

The generated codes are tied to your unique hardware, and each app will use a different algorithm.

If the codes were transferrable, that would make them far less secure. Someone could steal your "profile" and have working codes for all of your accounts on their device. But instead, your device is the only one that will generate the correct codes. That's why it's secure.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cube4ever Avatar
53 months ago
I wonder how easy it'll be to migrate from, say, Authy to the native 2FA app.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)