Google Au­then­tic­at­or is one of the simplest and most con­veni­ent tools to protect your Google account against unwanted access by third parties. It generates a code in-app that you enter when logging in to a Google account. We show you how to set up Google Au­then­tic­at­or.

Quick guide to set up Google Au­then­tic­at­or for Android and iPhone

  1. Download the app from the app store. Open it and scan the QR code to set up a new account.
  2. On your computer, click ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’ in the Security section of your Google account.
  3. In the ‘Au­then­tic­at­or App’, click ‘Turn on’ and follow the in­struc­tions in the pop-up until you get to the QR code.
  4. Scan the code with the app on your smart­phone and enter the displayed six-digit code in the input field in the pop-up on your computer.
  5. Confirm the entry.

Quick guide: Enable ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’ in Google

Note

You can only set up the Google Au­then­tic­at­or if you have already set up ad­di­tion­al iden­ti­fic­a­tion on a smart­phone and activated the ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’.

Follow these steps to enable 2-step veri­fic­a­tion:

  1. Sign into your Google account and navigate to the ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’ section in ‘Security’ (the tick box is auto­mat­ic­ally set to ‘Off’).
  2. Slide it to ‘On’ and verify your selection by entering your Google account password.
  3. Select your cell phone and confirm the selection. You will receive a code via SMS.
  4. Enter the veri­fic­a­tion code. You can select whether you wish to receive future veri­fic­a­tion codes by phone call or SMS.
  5. Confirm your entry.

What is Google Au­then­tic­at­or and why is it useful?

Google Au­then­tic­at­or is an app provided by Google that lets you protect your Google account from identity theft or other forms of misuse. Over recent years, email and Internet service providers have worked on ways to improve the security of user accounts and their data.

So-called two-factor au­then­tic­a­tion is now standard - i.e. you no longer log in to your email service or other online accounts using only a password, but require a secondary security factor to log in. This often takes the form of a mobile phone. In many cases two-factor au­then­tic­a­tion involves receiving a code sent via SMS, which is entered into your online account to prove your identity.

The Google Au­then­tic­at­or app works in a similar manner. Once you have linked your Google account to your smart­phone, you can use it to retrieve a six-digit code that you have to enter when logging in to Google (in addition to your chosen password). The app works even if your phone is offline. It is available for Android smart­phones and Apple iPhones.

Set up Google Au­then­tic­at­or on your smart­phone

Please note that the following in­struc­tions assume that you have already enabled ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’ in your Google Account and now wish to add the Google Au­then­tic­at­or app as another way to verify your identity. If you have not yet enabled the feature, please refer to the quick guide above.

  1. Download the Google Au­then­tic­at­or app from the Play Store or App Store and click ‘Install’.
Image: Google Authenticator app in the Play Store
Install the Google Au­then­tic­at­or app on your smart­phone.
  1. Launch the app and select ‘Scan a QR code’ in the dialogue window. To scan, the app needs access to your smart­phone’s camera.
Image: Google Authenticator app: Scan QR code
Scan a QR code for setup.

Al­tern­at­ively, you can enter a setup key that is displayed in your Google account during the setup process.

  1. Log in to your Google account and click on the ‘Security’ settings menu option.
Image: Google account security
Set up the Au­then­tic­at­or in the ‘Security’ section of your Google account.
  1. Scroll down on the right until you see the ‘Signing in to Google’ section and click ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’.
Image: Google account, Security ‘Signing in to Google’
Select the item ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’ (ON).
  1. Your activated identity checks are displayed in the overview.
Image: Google Account, ‘2-step verification’ overview
In the ‘2-step veri­fic­a­tion’ section you can view your current login methods.
  1. Scroll down until you see the option to set up ad­di­tion­al veri­fic­a­tion options. Click ‘Set up’ in the ‘Au­then­tic­at­or App’ entry.
Image: Google account, select Authenticator app
Select the ‘Au­then­tic­at­or App’ entry by clicking on ‘Set up’.
  1. A pop-up will open. Select your smart­phone type - in this case Android - and click ‘Next’.
Image: Google Authenticator App Setup: select smartphone
Set what type of phone you use.
  1. Using your smart­phone with the Google Au­then­tic­at­or app installed, scan the QR code displayed in the pop-up. Then click ‘Next’ in the pop-up on your computer.
Image: QR code to set up Google Authenticator App
Use the QR code to pair your Google account with your smart­phone.

If you’ve selected ‘Enter setup key’ in step 2 instead of ‘Scan a QR code’, please click ‘Can’t scan it?’ here. You’ll receive a key, which you enter in the app alongside your email address to complete the setup process.

  1. The app now displays a six-digit code, which you enter in the pop-up. Confirm your entry by clicking on ‘Verify’.
Image: Google Authenticator app: 6-digit code entry
The 6-digit code concludes the setup of the Au­then­tic­at­or app.
  1. The setup is concluded.
Image: Completion of Google Authenticator app setup process
The Google Au­then­tic­at­or setup is finished.

Once you have set up Au­then­tic­at­or, the app will keep gen­er­at­ing new codes at short intervals, which you enter when prompted in the course of logging in to your Google account.

Tip

Got a new mobile phone and want to migrate your Google Au­then­tic­at­or? We’ll show you how to do it.

How secure is Google Au­then­tic­at­or?

Generally, two-factor au­then­tic­a­tion is a sig­ni­fic­ant im­prove­ment over simply entering a password. Logging in with the help of the Au­then­tic­at­or app is a secure al­tern­at­ive compared to automated one-off SMS codes. However, much like one-time passcodes (OTP) and time-based one-time passcodes (TOTP) au­then­tic­a­tion apps have one weakness: they do not prohibit screen­shots, which tech­nic­ally could allow un­au­thor­ised third parties access by capturing codes when accessing your phone.

That’s a well-es­tab­lished problem and is not unique to Google. Other well-known au­then­tic­a­tion app makers are well aware too. However, as one of the largest and best-known providers of such au­then­tic­at­or apps, Google continues to work on a solution to fix the issue.

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