2FA backup codes: Prepare them before failure
The backup code can replace the second component of the login. Save it so that losing your phone does not mean losing both methods.
In this guide
The question remains: how will you sign in if the phone with the app stops working? Some services give one-time backup codes. These are not six-digit codes that change every moment of the application.
Find codes in account settings
Open the service yourself and go to security settings or double-step verification. Search for backup or recovery codes. Their availability, number and method of use depend on the supplier. Do not create your own code in the generator: the service will only recognize the ones it has released.
If the account does not offer codes, check another emergency method: a second hardware key, a backup login method or an official recovery procedure.
Select a location independent of your phone
The printout can be kept in a secure place. You can also use a protected digital safe, but you have to be able to open it without a lost phone. A screenshot saved exclusively on the same device does not solve the problem.
Save the service name and the date of creation of the set next to it. Do not add the password to your account on a loose card. Do not upload the codes to the chat, support form or this service. The person who gets them can use them when logging in.
After use, check the kit
If the provider treats the code as one-off, label it as used. The creation of a new set may invalidate the previous one — for example, Google works like this. After regeneration, replace all your copies instead of keeping some undescribed sets.
The lost or revealed codes replace the new ones by the account settings. Just deleting the image does not invalidate them from the supplier.
Check the plan without blocking your access
Make sure you find the current codes from another trusted device. If you are testing login, leave the trusted session open and prepare a normal login method. Do not disable 2FA just to perform the test.
W Account recovery plan you can check the completeness of the preparations without entering the codes themselves.