How do I add a 2FA code to KeyNesta?

Getting started · Help center · Current as of 2026-10-10

The four ways in

• Camera scan. Choose Scan QR and point the camera at the QR the service displays. This works in the web app through your browser's camera as well as on the phone apps, and frames are decoded in memory rather than saved anywhere.
• QR image upload. When the QR is already on the screen in front of you, save it as an image and choose Import QR image instead. The image is decoded on your device and is not sent anywhere.
• Paste a link. Most services offer a "can't scan?" link that reveals an otpauth:// URL or a plain secret key. Paste either one.
• Type it by hand. Enter the secret and, if the service specified them, the algorithm, digit count and period.

Non-standard codes work too

KeyNesta reads every parameter the QR carries: SHA-1, SHA-256 or SHA-512, six to eight digits, custom periods, and HOTP counters. If a service hands you an eight-digit code on a 60-second period, it will behave correctly rather than silently falling back to the common defaults. TOTP vs HOTP explains what those parameters mean.

Treat the QR like a password

Anyone who scans that QR can generate your codes indefinitely, so delete screenshots of it once the account is set up, and do not email it to yourself. Save the service's recovery or backup codes somewhere separate at the same time — they are what gets you back in if you lose every device at once.

Setting up 2FA on a particular service

Step-by-step menu paths for Google, GitHub, AWS, Discord and nine more are in How to set up 2FA with an authenticator app.