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Your Google Authenticator code is the one-time code shown in the app beside the account or service you’re signing in to. Open Google Authenticator and match the entry to the sign-in prompt. There is no single universal code for every site, and these codes are different from Google’s backup codes.

Where to find your six-digit code

  1. Open the Google Authenticator app on the device where you set it up.

  2. Find the entry for the account or service you’re trying to access. If you have several entries, check the name and account identifier carefully.

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  3. Enter the code currently displayed in that entry into the service’s verification prompt before it expires.

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Google Authenticator generates codes for sites and apps that support authenticator-based two-step verification. For a Google Account, you must first configure the app in that account’s 2-Step Verification settings. A third-party service must likewise have been set up to use an authenticator app; Google cannot provide a code for a service that was never configured this way. Google says, “You can still generate codes without an internet connection or mobile service.” Google Account Help: Get verification codes with Google Authenticator.

Why a code may be rejected

Check these common causes before trying account recovery:

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  • The code expired. Enter the code currently shown in the app rather than one you copied earlier.

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  • You selected the wrong entry. Authenticator can hold codes for multiple services. Match the entry to the service’s sign-in screen.

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  • You are using the wrong account entry. If the prompt is for a Google Account, confirm the Authenticator entry corresponds to that same account.

  • Your device time is incorrect. Google says Authenticator relies on the operating system’s time setting. Check that the device’s date, time, and time zone are set correctly and synced. Google’s troubleshooting guidance notes that the app’s time-correction setting is no longer available in version 7.0, so use the device’s time settings instead.

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If your Authenticator codes are missing

First check whether Authenticator is signed in to the Google Account where the codes were saved. If you use multiple Google Accounts, the entries may be associated with a different one. If you use Authenticator without a Google Account, its codes stay on that device and will not appear on another device through account sync.

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Codes synced with a Google Account

On a replacement device, sign in to Authenticator with the same Google Account. Codes saved to that account can sync to the app.

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Codes not synced with an account

If you still have the old device, Google documents a manual transfer: export the selected accounts from Authenticator on the old device to QR code or codes, then import them into Authenticator on the new device. This option depends on access to the old device. Follow Google’s current Authenticator instructions for the app’s transfer steps.

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If your phone is lost or unavailable

For a Google Account, the sign-in options available depend on what you set up before losing access. Google lists possible alternatives such as another phone already signed in to the account, a second phone number added for 2-Step Verification, a saved backup code, a previously added hardware security key, a passkey on another device, a trusted device, or account recovery. See Google’s instructions for signing in without your phone; no single fallback is guaranteed for every account.

If the phone is lost, Google recommends signing out of the lost device and changing your Google Account password. If none of the available sign-in methods works, use Google’s account recovery flow. Google warns against third-party services that claim to recover accounts or passwords. Recovery policies for other sites are set by those services, not by Google Authenticator.

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Authenticator codes and backup codes are different

An Authenticator code is generated in the app for a configured account or service. Google backup codes are separate, eight-digit codes that can be used as a second step when other methods are unavailable. Each backup code is single-use; generating a new set makes the previous set inactive. Google says backup codes are not available for download to people in the Advanced Protection Program. Keep them private and follow Google’s backup-code guidance.

Keep verification codes private

Enter a code only in a sign-in flow you initiated. Do not send or read it to another person, including someone claiming to be support. Google warns that scammers may use verification codes to take over accounts and says it will not call you to ask for one. Google also notes that codes sent by SMS or phone call can be vulnerable to phone-number-based attacks. Google’s 2-Step Verification help explains these risks and ways to protect your account.

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