How to Switched 2FA Codes from Google Authenticator to Encrypted Proton Authenticator App?

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Keeping your online accounts safe is very important. You have probably heard about two-factor authentication, or 2FA. It is a vital security step. Many services use it. We often talk about how crucial it is to use 2FA everywhere you can. It adds a strong guard to your accounts. After you type your password, you need a special code. This code is usually made by an app on your phone. Popular apps for this are made by Google, Microsoft, or a service called Authy. Using any 2FA app is a great start. But I found a reason to move my codes to a new home: the encrypted Proton Authenticator app.

Many people start with Google’s app. It is well-known and works fine. But now, a company called Proton, famous for its focus on privacy, has its own authenticator. What makes it special? It uses something called end-to-end encryption. This makes your 2FA codes extra secure. I already use and trust other products from Proton, so I was excited to try this. You might worry that moving all your codes is a lot of work. I thought so too. But it is not. The app has a simple way to import your codes from other apps. It can copy them from Google, Microsoft, Authy, and others. This makes the switch surprisingly easy.

Moving Your Codes Is Simple

Proton is a company that offers many privacy-focused tools. They have Proton Mail, Calendar, Drive, and even a password manager. Their new Authenticator app is a great addition. It creates and holds your 2FA codes. The best part for me was the ability to import my existing codes from the apps I was already using. I did not have to reset 2FA on every single one of my online accounts.

Authenticator apps are most useful on your phone. But Proton did something many others, like Google, do not. They made a version for your computer. You can get the Proton Authenticator for Windows, Mac, and Linux, in addition to iPhone and Android. This is very convenient. The steps below show how I moved my codes from Google Authenticator on my iPhone. The process is very similar if you use a computer or an Android phone.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Importing Your Codes

Step 1: Start the Import

First, open the Proton Authenticator app on your phone. You will see a button that says “Import codes.” Tap on it. The app will then show you a list of other authenticator apps you can import from. I chose Google Authenticator.

Step 2: Get Your Old App Ready

The Proton app will then give you instructions for the app you are importing from. For my switch from Google Authenticator, I had to open it and go to its settings. In the settings menu, there is an option called “Transfer accounts” and then “Export accounts.”

Step 3: Choose What to Transfer

Google Authenticator then let me pick which accounts I wanted to move. I selected all of them. After I confirmed, the app created a QR code. A QR code is like a square barcode. This code holds the secret information for your 2FA accounts. If you have many accounts, it might show you more than one QR code.

Step 4: Capture the QR Codes

Here, you need to get a picture of the QR code (or codes) into your new Proton app. The easiest way is to take a screenshot of each QR code that appears on your screen. If you are using a desktop app, you could also use your phone’s camera to take a picture of the computer screen.

Step 5: Complete the Import

Go back to the Proton Authenticator app. It will ask you to provide the images of the QR codes. I tapped the button that said “Choose one or more Photos.” I then selected the screenshots I just took from my phone’s photo library.

Step 6: All Done

That is it. The Proton app scans the QR codes from the pictures. In just a few seconds, all my 2FA accounts appeared inside the Proton Authenticator, ready to use.

Why This Switch Gives You Peace of Mind

I was very happy when I heard Proton had made its own authenticator app. My main worry was that switching would be a difficult and long process. But it was not. The import tool worked perfectly. Now, I can add new accounts to the Proton app just like I did with my old one. It feels familiar and easy to use when I need a code to sign in somewhere.

But the real benefits go deeper than just ease of use. The entire Proton system is built on a “zero-knowledge” promise. This means your information is encrypted in such a way that no one at Proton can ever access it. Your codes are for your eyes only. This is a big difference from some other services.

Here are some other important advantages:

No Ads or Trackers

The Proton Authenticator app is clean. It does not show you ads or use trackers to watch what you do.

Open Source

The app’s code is open for anyone to inspect. This means security experts can check it to make sure it is truly safe. This builds a lot of trust.

Works on More Devices

Unlike Google’s app, which is mostly for phones, Proton’s app works on computers too. This is a huge plus if you need to get a code but your phone is not nearby.

Complete Encryption

Everything you do with Proton is protected by end-to-end encryption. This includes your 2FA codes. This level of security gives you real peace of mind, knowing that this critical layer of your online safety is locked down tight.

Making this switch was a small change in my daily routine, but it was a big upgrade for my digital security. It fits perfectly with my other Proton tools and keeps my important information inside one secure, private ecosystem.