Import your Google Authenticator codes into KeyNesta

Published 29 August 2026, updated 19 September 2026. About 5 minutes.

Google Authenticator has a built-in export designed for moving to a new phone. KeyNesta reads that exact format, so migrating is a scan, not an afternoon of re-enrolling accounts one by one. Everything is decoded on your device; the export never touches our servers.

Export from Google Authenticator

Open Google Authenticator on your old phone.
Tap the menu and choose Transfer accounts → Export accounts.
Select the accounts to move (or keep all selected), and continue.
You will see one or more QR codes. Keep them on screen, and treat them like passwords: they contain your real 2FA secrets.

Import into KeyNesta

Open KeyNesta and unlock your vault.
Choose Import → Google Authenticator.
In the web app, upload a screenshot of the QR. On the phone apps (coming soon), scan it with the camera.
Review the preview (every account, issuer, and username is listed), then confirm. If the export produced several QR codes, repeat for each; duplicates are detected.

Verify before removing the old app

Keep both apps side by side for a moment. Codes for the same account must match exactly (they refresh on the same 30-second clock). Check your critical accounts (email, banking, password manager), then delete the export screenshots and, once satisfied, remove the accounts from Google Authenticator.

Coming from somewhere else?

KeyNesta also imports Aegis and 2FAS backup files, plus generic JSON and CSV, always with an on-device preview before anything is written. Moving from Authy? That path is different (Authy has no export). See the Authy guide. Coming from Aegis or 2FAS? See importing Aegis and 2FAS backups.

After importing: make a backup

Two minutes of setup ends the "lost phone = locked out" problem for good: create an encrypted backup file in the web app (yours to store anywhere) and optionally enable zero-knowledge sync for a second device. Details in 2FA backup and sync.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to export from Google Authenticator?

The export QR contains your 2FA secrets, so treat it like a password: do it in private, and delete any screenshots after importing. KeyNesta decodes the QR entirely on your device. The data never touches a server.

The export produced several QR codes. What do I do?

Google Authenticator splits large exports into multiple QR codes. Import each one in KeyNesta; entries are merged and duplicates are detected automatically.

Can I import from Aegis, 2FAS, or a spreadsheet?

Yes. KeyNesta imports unencrypted Aegis and 2FAS backup files, plus generic JSON and CSV, with a preview before anything is written to your vault.

Should I delete Google Authenticator afterwards?

Verify first. Compare live codes for your most important accounts. They should match exactly. Once everything checks out and you have made a KeyNesta backup, removing the old entries is safe.

Try KeyNesta free. The web app needs no sign-up.

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