Why You Should Switch From Google Authenticator to ICloud Keychain
Google Authenticator is an excellent solution for generating one-time passwords for two-factor authentication. But while the app makes sense for many people, if you’re locked into the Apple ecosystem, you’re better off using iCloud Keychain . And that’s true now more than ever, as Apple recently made it easier to transfer your one-time passwords from Google Authenticator to iCloud.
Who should transfer one-time passwords to iCloud Keychain
A word of caution: You should only migrate all your OTPs to iCloud Keychain if you are fully leveraging the Apple ecosystem. If you’re using an Android phone or Windows PC where you may need access to some login details, you should continue using Google Authenticator or other password managers that can also generate login codes.
That being said, for those who only use Apple products, it is much more convenient to have all the iCloud Keychain login codes. This makes logging in easier as you can easily copy and paste one-time passwords or auto-fill them no matter what device you’re using. Although Google Authenticator is a good app, you still have to log into your iPhone each time to find and enter the codes. This can be especially annoying if you mostly access websites on your Mac, especially if you’re used to the convenience of iCloud Keychain’s autofill.
Another benefit of using iCloud Keychain to manage these codes is seamless migration. If you’re buying a new iPhone or Mac, you don’t need to do anything to import one-time passwords either. Google Authenticator also supports account syncing , but you’ll still have to sign into the app separately on your new iPhone, and it’s only available on phones. With iCloud Keychain, all your one-time passwords will be available on your Mac, as long as you signed in with your Apple ID when you first set up your computer.
How to Import Google Authenticator Codes into iCloud Keychain
Before importing Google Authenticator codes to your iPhone, you need to check the following:
- Go to Settings > Passwords > Password Options . In the Set up verification codes using: section, select Passwords and iCloud Keychain .
- Open Google Authenticator on your iPhone and check what one-time passwords are stored in the app. Make sure all relevant sign-in entries are in iCloud Keychain by going to Settings > Passwords on your iPhone. If any entry is missing, add it before importing authentication codes.
Once everything is sorted, open Google Authenticator on your iPhone, click the three-line button in the top left corner and select Transfer Accounts . The app will show you a QR code and you can take a screenshot. Open the Photos app, go to this screenshot, and tap and hold the QR code. You can now select Add verification codes to passwords .
This action will open Apple’s password manager and you will see all the authentication codes that have been in Google Authenticator so far. Click the “Add to Password…” button under each item, select the login item it corresponds to, and they will be linked. You’ll have to do this manually for each entry, but it’s a one-time operation.
These login codes will then be available on all your Apple devices. The next time you sign in to an account with two-factor authentication, you’ll see the option to autofill a code without having to do anything else. In the worst case scenario, you’ll have to dive into iCloud Keychain to get the code from the same device you’re trying to sign in on.