Authenticator app vs security key: do you need one?
What a security key does that an authenticator app cannot, what it costs, what breaks when you lose it, and the setup that uses both well.
Choosing 2FA
Which second factor to use, and where your codes should live.
Should your 2FA codes live in your password manager?
Bitwarden, 1Password, Proton Pass and Apple Passwords can all hold TOTP codes. What that protects, what it gives up, and who should keep them apart.
Authenticator app vs SMS: what SIM swapping changes
Why texted 2FA codes are weaker than an authenticator app: SIM swaps, port-outs, SS7, and the phishing both share. Plus how to move accounts off SMS.
Passkeys vs authenticator apps: do you still need one?
Passkeys stop phishing in a way 2FA codes cannot. How they work, why most accounts still need TOTP, and why account recovery so often falls back to codes.
An authenticator app with folders and groups
Most authenticators give you one flat list and a search box. Here is what folders, groups and separate vaults look like at a few hundred codes.
An Authy desktop alternative: 2FA in your browser
Twilio retired the Authy desktop apps in March 2024. If you want codes on the computer you work on, here are the options that still exist.
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