How to Move Google Accounts When Your Phone Number Changes?

Google account number verification is a security feature that helps keep your personal information and files safe. It identifies the device you’re using to log in and ensures that it’s actually you.

This can help prevent hacking and protect your account if you ever lose your password. It’s also super easy to set up.

What is Google Authenticator?

Google Authenticator is a two-factor authentication (2FA) app that gives you a six-digit code to enter on the website or service you are trying to access. It’s an alternative to SMS-based verification and it works with a wide range of sites, apps, and services.

It’s simple to use and comes from a brand that people know and trust (despite their feelings about the company and its data collection). Plus, it has some advantages over other 2FA apps, such as backup codes and being synced across devices.

To transfer Google Authenticator to a new phone, log in to the app and tap the three-dot menu, select Transfer accounts, and then Export Accounts. After you select the accounts you want to move over, Google Authenticator will generate QR codes for you. Keep that on your old phone and open Authenticator on the new one, select Get Started, Import accounts, and then Scan QR code. The accounts will then be moved over.

How do I set up Google Authenticator?

If you have an account that uses two-step verification, such as Google Authenticator, and your phone number changes, you need to move those accounts to the new phone. Luckily, you can do so by retrieving backup codes (or getting help from Google).

Log in to your account on the web and click 2-step verification. In the pop-up, select your device type and click Next. Then, on your mobile device, open the Google Authenticator app and tap +. In the Enter Code field on the computer, type the setup key displayed in the app.

If you don’t have access to your phone, you can also get back in by using an alternate email address for verification. You’ll need to use an email address that you own, though, so that it isn’t someone else’s. Also, the alternate email address must be a valid email that you can log in to. If not, you’ll need to contact the company or website to get another way to verify your identity.

How do I get a verification code?

While codes sent via SMS are a convenient way to verify Google accounts, not everyone has a cellular signal or mobile phone capable of receiving text messages. For those users, Google offers other ways to get verification codes.

You can use an alternate email address to verify your account. Also, you can also use a different phone number if you have one that can receive text messages or calls. You can also generate and print a set of backup codes to use if you lose your phone or are traveling to a country where you won’t have a signal or a way to get a text message.

Another option is to use a security key, which is a physical USB stick that can store two-step verification codes and provides an extra layer of protection. You can find these keys on Amazon for a reasonable price. To use this method, you must first link the security key to your account.

How do I get a backup code?

When you turn on 2FA, GA encourages you to save a backup code, in case your phone gets lost or you have to trade it in. Backup codes are numeric strings you can use to log into your account from any device.

You can retrieve your backup codes by clicking the 3 little dots and then Export accounts in the GA app. When you export, you will have the option to select which accounts you want to save backup codes for. It will generate 10 backup codes, each 8 digits long. You can download them as a text file or print them directly from the page.

If you use this method, it’s best to get a temporary or burner phone number for this purpose so that you can bypass the phone verification step when creating new accounts and/or during FRP. This is a good way to avoid the “this phone number cannot be used for verification” error message.