7 Authenticator Apps With Cloud Backup (and How to Switch)

On Oct 7, 2026

The nightmare with a codes-only authenticator is simple: lose or break the phone it lives on, and you can be locked out of every account it protected. The fix is an app that backs your 2FA codes up to the cloud, so a new phone just picks up where the old one left off. Here are seven worth trusting, and how to move without stranding yourself.

For years the standard answer, Google Authenticator, had no backup at all, which made a lost phone a genuine crisis. That has changed, and there are now several apps that sync your codes safely across devices. They differ in how they encrypt that backup and who can read it, which matters more here than anywhere else, because these codes are the keys to your accounts.

The Short Version

If you want strong privacy with cloud backup, Ente Auth, 2FAS, and Proton Authenticator are the standouts, all open source with end-to-end or self-controlled encryption. Microsoft Authenticator and Google Authenticator both offer easy cloud sync tied to your existing account, with the caveat that Google’s backup is not end-to-end encrypted. Authy pioneered encrypted multi-device backup but its development has stalled. And if you would rather keep codes with your logins, a password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden syncs both together. The safest way to switch is to move one account at a time and confirm each new code works before removing the old app.

Table of Contents

How I picked these

The requirement was real cloud backup or sync, rather than a local export you have to remember to run. From there I weighted encryption, favoring apps where the backup is end-to-end encrypted so no company can read your codes, then cross-platform availability and cost, and finally how painless the app makes moving to a new device. A backup that a provider can read is still better than no backup, but I have flagged where that trade-off applies so you can choose with your eyes open.

Ente Auth

Ente Auth is the privacy pick. It is fully open source with end-to-end encrypted sync across phones and desktop, so you get a proper backup without handing your secrets to a company that can read them. It is free, cross-platform, and increasingly the recommendation for people who want the safety of the cloud without the usual privacy cost. If you care most about who can see your codes, start here.

2FAS

2FAS is a strong free option that keeps you in control of the backup. It offers cross-device sync through your own iCloud or Google Drive rather than a company server, along with a clean interface and a browser extension companion. Being open source and privacy-focused, it is a great middle ground for people who want backup but prefer it stored in a cloud they already control.

Proton Authenticator

Proton Authenticator is a newer, open-source option with end-to-end encrypted sync, and its standout feature is easy migration. It imports cleanly from a long list of other apps, including Google Authenticator, Authy, Microsoft Authenticator, 2FAS, Aegis, and Bitwarden, which makes it one of the least painful apps to switch to. If you are consolidating from several tools, this is the one that will accept your existing setup with the least fuss.

Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft Authenticator is the convenient mainstream choice, especially if you live in the Microsoft ecosystem. It backs your codes up to the cloud through your Microsoft account, and adds friendly tap-to-approve push logins for Microsoft services. It is polished and reliable, and a sensible default for people who want backup without thinking too hard about it, as long as you are comfortable with a big-provider account holding the backup.

Authy

Authy was the app that made encrypted multi-device backup normal, and it still offers a solid cloud backup that lets you restore codes on a new phone. The honest caveat is that its development has stalled and its long-term direction is uncertain, including the retirement of its desktop apps. It remains usable and its backup works, but given the momentum behind the open-source options, it is harder to recommend as a fresh choice than it once was.

Google Authenticator

Google Authenticator finally fixed its biggest flaw by adding cloud backup that syncs codes to your Google Account, so a lost phone no longer means lost codes. The catch is important: that backup is not end-to-end encrypted, which means Google can technically access your codes. For many people the convenience is worth it, but if the privacy of your seeds matters to you, one of the encrypted options above is the better home.

Password managers: 1Password and Bitwarden

If you would rather not juggle a separate app, a password manager can store your 2FA codes alongside your logins and sync both together. 1Password does this smoothly within its subscription, and Bitwarden supports it too, with integrated codes on its paid tier and a free standalone authenticator app. Keeping passwords and codes in one encrypted vault is convenient, though some security-minded users prefer to keep the two factors in separate apps so a single breach cannot expose both.

How to switch without locking yourself out

Migrating 2FA is the one job where rushing can genuinely lock you out, so do it carefully. Install the new app first, then move one account at a time: either import from your old app if the new one supports it, or open each account’s security settings, add the new authenticator, and scan the fresh code. Most important, verify that a code from the new app actually logs you in before you remove anything from the old one. Keep each account’s backup or recovery codes handy as a fallback, and only after every account is confirmed working on the new app should you delete the old one. Where an app will not export its codes, you simply re-enroll each account by hand, which is tedious but safe.

What Matters Most

Cloud backup means a lost phone no longer locks you out of your accounts, which is the whole point of switching.
Ente Auth, 2FAS, and Proton Authenticator offer backup with strong, open-source encryption you or no one else controls.
Google Authenticator’s backup is convenient but not end-to-end encrypted, so Google can access your codes.
Authy still works but its development has stalled, making it a weaker fresh pick.
Switch one account at a time, confirm each new code works before deleting the old app, and keep recovery codes as a fallback.

For more security and account guides, browse the DelightfulBlogs Tech section, or follow our News desk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which authenticator app has the best cloud backup?

For privacy plus backup, Ente Auth, 2FAS, and Proton Authenticator lead, since they are open source with end-to-end or self-controlled encryption. Microsoft and Google Authenticator offer easier backup tied to your existing account, though Google’s is not end-to-end encrypted.

Is Google Authenticator’s cloud backup safe?

It protects you from losing codes on a lost phone, which is a real improvement. However, the backup is not end-to-end encrypted, so Google can technically access your codes. If that concerns you, choose an app with end-to-end encryption like Ente Auth or Proton Authenticator.

Should I still use Authy?

It works and its encrypted backup restores codes on a new device, but its development has stalled and its desktop apps were retired. For a fresh setup, the open-source options are easier to recommend, though there is no urgent need to abandon Authy if it is serving you well.

Can I keep my 2FA codes in a password manager?

Yes. 1Password and Bitwarden can store 2FA codes alongside your logins and sync both. It is convenient, but some people deliberately keep passwords and codes in separate apps so that one compromised vault cannot expose both factors at once.

How do I switch authenticator apps without getting locked out?

Move one account at a time, adding the new app and confirming a code from it logs you in before removing the old one. Import from the old app if supported, otherwise re-enroll each account manually, and keep backup or recovery codes on hand throughout.

The Bottom Line

An authenticator without a backup is a single point of failure sitting in your pocket, and fixing that is one of the easiest security upgrades you can make. If privacy is your priority, Ente Auth, 2FAS, or Proton Authenticator give you backup without giving up your secrets. If convenience wins, Microsoft or Google Authenticator will do the job with a caveat about who can read the backup. Whichever you choose, the discipline is the same: switch carefully, one account at a time, and never delete the old app until the new one has proven it works.