Hands-On Tech 244: Switching MFA Apps

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: Hands-On Tech 244 – Switching MFA Apps

Host: Micah Sargent
Date: November 30, 2025
Episode Focus: How to switch from Authy or another multi-factor authentication (MFA) app to a new service — safely, step by step, with practical advice and crucial warnings.

---

Overview

This episode centers on the practical realities and challenges of switching from one multi-factor authentication (MFA) app to another, prompted by a listener question. Micah Sargent walks the audience through why people want to leave Authy, how to approach the switch safely (without risking account access), and what key lessons and pitfalls to consider. The tone is conversational, highly practical, and supportive, with a strong emphasis on security best practices.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Question: The Authy Dilemma

[01:27–03:00]

• Listener Daniel writes in, worried about moving from Authy now that it's harder to switch out credentials and get out of the “walled garden.”
• Daniel considers moving to Proton, Microsoft, or Google, but dreads the work of resetting MFA for multiple accounts.

Micah:

• Affirms this dilemma is common as users outgrow MFA services, especially those with proprietary systems like Authy’s.
• Emphasizes that many find it “enough to just use your password management app as your multi-factor authentication app” (03:00).
• Points out Authy’s desktop app previously made export easier, but it has been deprecated, complicating the process.

“Authy... tries to do Multi Factor authentication in a bit of a proprietary way... it’s different from the other ways of doing Multi Factor authentication…”
—Micah Sargent [03:05]

---

2. The Step-By-Step Method: Moving Your MFA Codes

[04:15–06:00]

• There’s no bulk export from Authy (especially after desktop app’s retirement).

• Each site where you use Authy for authentication needs manual attention:

  • Log in to each service using Authy as usual.
  • Navigate to the account’s MFA settings; look for options like “Change Authenticator App”, “Set up new device”, or outright disabling and re-enabling MFA.
  • Register your new MFA app (Proton, 1Password, Google, Microsoft, etc.) by scanning the freshly provided QR code.

• Tedious, especially if you have many accounts, but...

  • Once complete, returning to a standardized, portable MFA setup will make future moves easier.
  • This is (hopefully) a one-time hassle with long-term portability benefits.

“The good news is once you’re out of Authy… it’s going to be much more portable at that point. So you do this once, you move to something more portable and then you’re good to go from there…”
—Micah Sargent [05:40]

---

3. Security Warnings: Resist the Temptation to “Hack” Your Way Out

[09:02–10:30]

• Micah strongly warns against following shady online advice or using sketchy tools for exporting Authy tokens:
  • Methods involving jailbroken devices or unofficial desktop apps are risky; sites may direct you to unverified downloads or dangerous software.
  • Even with export guides, “this is shady stuff” and “very risky.”
• The safe path: Do it manually, one service at a time — it might be slow, but it protects your security and accounts.

“You can do a little Google or do another kind of search online… and you will learn about some other ways of exporting… but this is shady stuff… It is not worth it to run the risk of having those codes scooped up and used in other means.”
—Micah Sargent [09:18]

---

4. Listener Engagement & Advice

[10:50–12:00]

• Micah calls for more questions and feedback, reinforcing Hands-On Tech’s interactive and community-driven format.
• Reminds listeners to reach out at [e-mail] with successes, issues, or new ideas.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the core hassle:
  “That could take a while, but that is what it takes.” [04:55]
• On the dangers of sketchy exports:
  “Any security person out there… will go [groans]… it is not worth it.” [09:30]
• On the silver lining:
  “Once you’re out of Authy… you’re good to go from there.” [05:40]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Daniel’s question—why Authy is hard to leave | 01:27–03:00 | | How to migrate MFA apps, step by step | 04:15–06:00 | | Security warnings re: manual/automated export | 09:02–10:30 | | Listener feedback, invitation | 10:50–12:00 |

---

Additional Resources & Recommendations

• Check out previous Hands-On Tech episodes for a deeper look at MFA app choices.
• For questions or feedback: [e-mail]

---

Takeaway

Switching away from an MFA app like Authy is tedious, but necessary for long-term flexibility and security. Always favor the slow, manual, and secure approach over sketchy shortcuts. Once you make the move, your future MFA management will be far more portable and less of a hassle.

---

Transcript

[Leo Laporte]

Resilience isn't just about bouncing back. It's about being ready. It's how you show up every single day. Because every name in your system is a person who trusts you and every password is a door you're responsible for locking. And when the threat comes, and it always comes, you hold back the chaos. Learn more at cohesity.com/resilience hey guys.

[Goldbelly Advertiser]

Finding the perfect gift for the food lover in your life is easy thanks to Goldbelly. Gold Belly ships America's most iconic foods straight from world famous restaurants right to your door. So if you want to treat someone to Joe's Stone Crab from Miami, Franklin Barbecue from Texas, or desserts from famous foodies like Ina Garten or Martha Stewart, Goldbelly has you covered. Just go to goldbelly.com and for a limited time get 20% off your first order with promo Code Gift.

[Alicia]

That's Promo Code Gift Having MG can make cooking difficult. But over the years I found some really helpful tools and tips that I'm excited to share. Hi, I'm Alicia. I think cooking should always be fun, creative and of course delicious. These black Bean burgers are hearty, full of flavor and MG friendly. You're gonna love them.

[Micah Sargent]

Check out Alicia's Black Bean Burger cooking video and other recipes for the tips and tricks for managing common MG symptoms.

[Leo Laporte]

While cooking only at mg-united.com ready.

[Micah Sargent]

Let's cook. Coming up on Hands On Tech let's take a look at the process of switching multi factor authentication apps and or services. Stay tuned. This is twit. Hello and welcome to yet another thrilling episode of Hands On Tech. The episode the show rather where I, Micah Sargent, take your tech questions and do my dadgum best to answer them. Today we are looking at a question that comes in from Daniel. Daniel writes in with the following your most recent episode of Hands On Tech brought up a question that I've been thinking about. I am currently using Authy for my multifactor codes and I realize my mistake that I can't get them out easily to go to another device. A friend had recommended I go to Proton which does allow exporting. So I'm fine either going to Proton or Microsoft or Google. I'm just dreading the work. So for example, what would I need to do? I would have to go to like my gmail account settings and turn off multifactor and then turn it back on to get that barcode to set it up with whatever new authentication app I moved to. So Daniel, this is a great question. As I mentioned in the episode where we talked about Multi Factor authentication apps, the question was more at the time just about sort of new generally what I recommend and my you can learn more in that episode. But my sort of end result was to say that for me and for many people it's enough to just use your password management app as your Multi Factor authentication app as well. Some people want to have those as separate services. But we talked about Authy and my complaints that I had about Authy, which is primarily the fact that it tries to do Multi Factor authentication in a bit of a proprietary way where it works specifically with some developers to provide kind of a built in system that it's again, it's different from the other ways of doing Multi factor authentication where you simply just get a code that is, you know, based on a specific time and a shared secret. So in that way, Authy is not my recommendation and Daniel appears to want to make that switch as well. Unfortunately, the process for moving from Authy used to be a little bit more easy. That's not the unfortunate part. The unfortunate part is that now it's become more difficult. The reason why it used to be easier and is now more difficult is that the desktop app has been deprecated. And so with the desktop app there were some easier export options that people could take that you can no longer take. So Daniel, in kind of making sure that I understood what methods were available to you in terms of exporting or exfiltrating your codes from Authy, it does look like we have to follow the good old fashioned way of handling Multi Factor authentication switches. Now this is something that is not entirely uncommon of a process. You know, you may have a need to do this and so if you do, then the way that you go about doing it is you log into your account using Authy, in this case your existing Multi Factor authentication method, and you go into your login settings. It's a little bit like what you talked about, Daniel. You go in and depending on the app or the service, you're going to see different, different wording. You may see change authenticator app, you may see set up new device, you may see just yes, the, the ability to turn off Multi Factor Authentication and then have to re enable it. Whatever is the case, you do need to go in and do that in order to set up Multi Factor Authentication on a new, new app or a new service. Now again, that is frustrating, right, because depending on how many authentication codes you've set up using Authy or means of Multi Factor Authentication, you've set up using Authy. That could take a while, but that is what it takes. The good news is once you're out of Authy and you're using a much more standardized approach to this Multi Factor Authentication, it's going to be much more portable at that point. So you do this once, you move to something more portable and then you're good to go from there, which is, you know, at least it's a one time deal that you've set up here. So that is the process for doing so. And I want to talk a little bit in a moment about some warnings that I have for you as you go through this process.

Hey, I'm Micah Sargent, host of Tech News Weekly and several other shows on the network. If you're looking for a smarter way to advertise in 2026, look, because twit is where tech decision makers listen and ROI never ends, Our audience isn't just passionate about technology either. They actually work in it. Over 90% of our listeners are IT professionals, developers, engineers and business leaders who shape the products and the decisions that move tech forward at their companies. Here at twit we produce an array of trusted tech shows. These include the latest news and hands on advice featuring authentic embedded host read ads delivered by Leo Laporte and yours truly. Now our partners see real results because our listeners actually trust us and then take action. And that's because of authenticity. When I'm talking about how I like a product or a service, it's because I actually do. And our listeners know that. And here's something we're super proud of. 88% of our listeners say they've made a purchase because of a TWIT ad. So if you're ready to reach the most intelligent audience in tech with that purchasing power to back it up, let's talk. We'd love to help your brand grow. Email partnerwit TV or visit TWIT TV Advertise High interest debt is one of.

[SoFi Advertiser]

The toughest opponents you'll face unless you power up with a SOFI personal loan. A SOFI personal loan could repackage your bad debt into one low fixed rate monthly payout agreement. It's even got super speed since you could get the funds as soon as the same day you sign. Visit sofi.compower to learn more. That's s o-fi.com P-O-W-E-R loans originated by SoFi Bank NA member FDIC terms and conditions apply and MLS 696891 hi, I'm.

[Chris Gethard]

Chris Gethard and I'm very excited to tell you about Beautiful Anonymous, a podcast where I talk to random people on the phone. I tweet out a phone number. Thousands of people try to call you talk to one of them. They stay anonymous. I can't hang up. That's all the rules. I never know what's going to happen. We get serious ones. I've talked with meth dealers on their way to prison. I've talked to people who survived mass shootings, crazy funny ones. I talked to a guy with a goose laugh, somebody who dresses up as a pirate on the weekends. I never know what's going to happen. It's a great show. Subscribe today.

[Micah Sargent]

Beautiful Anonymous so when it comes to going through this process and you know, looking at ways to export, I with my whole heart, with my, my, you know, my two hands clasped together pleading, I say follow the process I just talked about because you can do a little Google or do another kind of search online and type in Export Authy tokens and you will learn about some other ways of exporting your Authy tokens and using them for other dev but this is shady stuff, or at least when it comes to again, multifactor authentication, a shady way to go about doing it. There are ways to use jailbroken Android devices to export from the Authy app your codes. There's also a very complicated way of again, if you somehow still have the desktop version of Authy, and if you don't have a desktop version of Authy, the sites will point you to a desktop version of Authy, which any security person out there, or even someone who's vaguely security minded will go. Because it's essentially saying, oh yeah, download this app that may or may not actually be from Authy, but is showing up as if it's the Authy desktop app and log into it and use that and then you'll be able to get your codes. All of this is very risky when it comes to getting your Multi Factor Authentication codes out of Authy. And so I understand the desire for the convenience of being able to sort of select all and move, but it is not worth it to run the risk of having those codes scooped up and used in other means. So Daniel, ultimately do this once, get those codes to where you're wanting them and then from that point on they become a lot more transferable and portable from that point going forward. So I want to thank you, Daniel, for writing in to ask that question and I encourage everybody, if you are looking for a Multi Factor Authentication app, to check out my earlier episode about that. Now, if you have questions for me yourself, you can reach out Hotwit tv. That's how you get in touch. Always looking for new questions, new ideas for episodes and also always available to hear your feedback as well. Love to hear. This worked for me. This didn't work for me. I heard you mention this and here's the stuff that I tried to do. All that kind of stuff. Very good, very interesting. And often means you'll be featured in an episode of Hands On Tech. This is the time where I want to remind you all about Club Twit at Twit tv. Club Twit. That is where you can go to join our club. It is $10 a month, $120 a year. When you join the club, you gain access to some awesome benefits. Yes, you gain access to all of our special feeds. These include feeds that include our bits and clips. We've got a podcast feed that is all about our coverage of news events and a feed that has all of our special club shows like Micah's Crafting Corner, Stacy's Book Club and so much more. Plus you get ad free episodes entirely ad free. All of our shows and access to the members only Discord Server. A fun place to go to chat with your fellow Club TWiT members and those of us here at TWiT. It's also that warm fuzzy feeling you'll get because you know you're helping to support the work we do here on the network and we would love to have you in the club. It'd be great to see you there. Twit TV Club Twit is where you go for that. I remind you again, Hot Twit tv. That's how you get in touch. Thank you so much for your questions. Thank you for being here and I will catch you again next week for another episode of Hands On Tech. Bye bye.

[Goldbelly Advertiser]

Hey guys. Finding the perfect gift for the food lover in your life is easy thanks to Goldbelly. Goldbelly ships America's most iconic foods straight from world famous restaurants right to your door. So if you want to treat someone to Joe's Stone Crab from Miami, Franklin BBQ from Texas or desserts from famous foodies like Ina Garten or Martha Stewart, Goldbelly has you covered. Just go to goldbelly.com and for a limited time get 20% off your first order with promo Code Gift. That's Promo Code Gift.