[How to] Use Google Authenticator Without Mobile Phones

Learn how to use Google Authenticator without your Mobile phone, in case you lost your Mobile. The Authenticator is an offline verification app to verify your Google Account in case you don’t like to activate 2-step verification of your Gmail Account using your mobile phone, where Google will send a pin (type OTP) to authenticate your Identity.

By using Google’s Authenticator app for Android, iOS or Windows phones, You are no longer limited to using your smartphone to use Google’s two-step authentication. There are many apps that you can use access easily on your desktop to help keep your accounts more secure.

WHAT IS GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR?

Google Authenticator will make your online accounts even more secure. To log in your online account you need to enter the original password for the account and one-time password which is generated on your mobile or Tablet where the 2 step Authentication is enabled for that particular account.

In simple words, this app works offline and still helps Google Internal verification system to successfully verify your Identity and gives you access to your Google account. But, if you lose your mobile phone and don’t have access to it because it is out of battery or broken/damaged. Then, you need to follow this process:-

USING GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR WITHOUT MOBILE PHONE

Google’s two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your Google Account. In addition to your username and password, you’ll need to enter a code that Google will send you via text or voice message upon signing in. This drastically reduces the chances of having your Google account stolen by someone else because the hackers would have to not only get your password and your username, they’d have to get a hold of your phone.

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What happens if there is no network coverage in your area, and you can’t receive SMS? For these dire situations, Google provides an app called Google Authenticator that can generate verification codes on your phone, offline. While the chances of you not having a cell phone in 2012 are rare, there is still a possibility that you may leave it in the office or your friend’s place.

How to generate verification code on the PC?

1. Install the GAuth Authenticator extension for Google Chrome.
2. Go to your Google Account 2-factor authentication settings page, and under Mobile application, click on the Blackberry link (or Android/iOS link).
3. You’ll get a 16-character secret key.

4. Open the GAuth Authenticator Chrome app. Click on the plus sign on the top left corner and enter the secret key. Give a name to the account so that you can identify it later.

5. GAuth Authenticator will generate a 6 digit verification code. Copy this code and enter on the verification page you got on step 3.

Once your “device” is verified, you’ll be able to generate verification code using GAuth Authenticator when you log in to your Google account.

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Using Google Authenticator on Multiple Devices

The Authenticator app is available for Android, iPhone, Windows Phone and BlackBerry mobile phones. If you, however, carry two or more of these devices, like an iPad and an Android mobile phone, you can configure the app such that same code is generated on all your devices. The trick is fairly straight-forward. While you are scanning the QR code with Google Authenticator on one device, launch the Authenticator app on your other devices and scan the same QR code image with them. Just make sure that the system time is the same on all your devices and you can then use either of them to log into your online accounts.

If you have already configured two-step authentication for an account on one device, you may have to temporarily disable 2-step authentication for that account and then re-enable to simultaneously configure it across all your devices.

Using Google Authenticator on Desktop

Sometimes there is situation when you are working on your computer or laptop and the mobile phone which is required for generating the one-time password is not with you. In that c , you don’t have to worry as you can now also generate verification codes in your desktop browser. All you need is the GAuth add-on for Chrome and you are good to go. The only difference is that instead of scanning QR codes, here you will have to enter the 16-digit secret key to add an account manually. Using the HTML local storage the security tokens will automatically store locally in your browser and you don’t have to enter them again.

Other Apps to Operate Google Authenticator Without Mobile Phone

• AUTHY
• AUTHENTICATOR
• WINDOWS AUTHENTICATOR

This is all for this article I hope it helps you to use Google Authenticator without the help of Mobile phone. If you like this article then please share it on social media and with your friends. If you want to ask any query or want to give any suggestion regarding this article then comment in the comment section below.