Need some help. 2FA security keys are not working on coinbase or other exchanges

[COLT601]

So I had Google Authenticator set up on my old phone. Had 2FA enabled on all exchanges, Coinbase, biance, bittrex, etc etc. When I got a new phone I didn't realize the 2FA had to be reprogrammed and I factory reset the old phone.  Well luckily I have saved ALL of my security keys from when the 2FA was set up back in 2017.  No problem right?

Well the exchanges are saying my 2FA code is invalid. I entered the long security key into Google Authenticator and it was accepted and generates the six digit codes. However Coinbase and all the other exchanges that I reentered the security keys for also say the authentication codes are invalid.

I have tried to update the Authenticator time sync, but it says it was already updated.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

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[btcsmlcmnr]

I believe there are two possible problems from your side
- Timer: the timer on your phone is not match with timer on exchanges.
- Your backup codes were written down inaccurately.

There is nothing to know your backup codes were backed up correct or inaccurately. You can test your timer by creating a new account, set up 2FA and see does the code on your phone (with a fresh 2FA code) can be acccepted or not?

If the fresh one is accepted, it means your backups have something wrong.

Also try to input those codes into other 2FA apps

Most of these are not open source and do not allow proper encrypted back ups. Google Authenticator in particular is awful from the regard. FreeOTP is no longer in development. Here are the apps you should be using:
Android - Aegis or AndOTP
iOS - Tofu or Authenticator

[COLT601]

I believe there are two possible problems from your side
- Timer: the timer on your phone is not match with timer on exchanges.
- Your backup codes were written down inaccurately.

There is nothing to know your backup codes were backed up correct or inaccurately. You can test your timer by creating a new account, set up 2FA and see does the code on your phone (with a fresh 2FA code) can be acccepted or not?

If the fresh one is accepted, it means your backups have something wrong.

Also try to input those codes into other 2FA apps

Most of these are not open source and do not allow proper encrypted back ups. Google Authenticator in particular is awful from the regard. FreeOTP is no longer in development. Here are the apps you should be using:
Android - Aegis or AndOTP
iOS - Tofu or Authenticator

Authenticator timer says it was sync'd.

I cut and paste all of the codes into an excel file which was printed out and stored. I am 100% positive the security keys are correct.

Just tried the Aegis app and having the same problem....

[GreatArkansas]

I already experienced this. I forgot to backup my 2FA keys before when I have new phone.
What I did is I contacted some exchanges before and told them about my 2FA which I can't open them anymore.
Some of the exchanges asked for your information just to prove that you are the real owner of the account, some may ask your email address, birthdate or some information they asked upon your registration on their website, maybe some may ask that you must first undergo to KYC.
In short, you contact first those exchanges, you file a ticket support or email them.

[btcsmlcmnr]

Authenticator timer says it was sync'd.

I cut and paste all of the codes into an excel file which was printed out and stored. I am 100% positive the security keys are correct.

Just tried the Aegis app and having the same problem....

You can try it by another way, with my assumption is your timer does not match with exchange timer.

Log in your exchange account, fill in all details and only let the 2FA code as last thing you will fill in.
Open your 2FA app, wait till the timer is running out (the circle), remember those 6 figures. Wait the next passes about one fourth, two fourth, three fourth of the round and fill the previous code in, click log in.
Try it carefully and pay your attention on the attempt limits. Exceed the limit can get your account frozen because security protection from exchange.

[o_e_l_e_o]

Make sure you are using the exact same Authenticator App you were using previously.
If using Google, go to Settings -> Time Correction for Codes -> Sync now.
Try reinstalling Google Authenticator on your old phone and restore the codes there.
Obviously make sure you are using the correct code for the correct site.

If none of that works, then your only option is going to be contacting the exchanges in question and requesting a reset. You may well have to verify your identity to do so.

In future, you should use on the apps in my post quoted above that allow you to perform proper back ups.

[AB de Royse777]

Make sure you are using the exact same Authenticator App you were using previously.

I think it's not necessary, since the OP has his backup codes this should work in any authenticator. The best answer has been already given by btcsmlcmnr.

I believe there are two possible problems from your side
- Timer: the timer on your phone is not match with timer on exchanges.
- Your backup codes were written down inaccurately.

I have not used Google authenticator from long time so not sure how it works these days. The reason of not using Google authenticator is because, at that time they did not have any back up system, I guess now they have introduced it.

I will suggest OP to use Authy. The only reason I moved from Google to authy is because of their back up system. It itself is very user-friendly. You can copy/paste the code from their app. Because you have a backup system with master password and phone number, no matter if you have one or a hundred 2fa stored there and you reset the computer - you will always get the same authy with your 2fas once you use the same master password and phone number.

[Fundamentals Of]

I think it has something to do with your timer since you said that all the exchanges and not only Coinbase rejected your 2FA codes. You may uninstall your authenticator and then download and install it again. Try to make sure the time zone or the specific GMT in your phone is correct and then sync it again.

If not, you may contact Coinbase and the rest of the other exchanges' support if all options are explored but still to no avail. But you will have to prepare yourself to be KYCed. That's for sure. If you are not into KYC, I don't find any other recourse.

[pawanjain]

Alternatively you can also try the below option if it works.

From your new phone go to Google Authenticator and then click on "Transfer Accounts" this will export your 2FA accounts and show you a QR code.
Then use another authentication app like Authy and scan the QR code to import the 2FA accounts on that app.
Then try using the new codes to login to the particular platform.
I am not sure if it would work but you can give it a try.

[o_e_l_e_o]

The reason of not using Google authenticator is because, at that time they did not have any back up system, I guess now they have introduced it.

No, it still does not have any back up capabilities. The codes being talked about are simply the shared secret codes that the exchange site provides when you set up the 2FA in the first place - the same code that is encoded in the QR image you scan with your authenticator app.

Try to make sure the time zone or the specific GMT in your phone is correct and then sync it again.

Time based one time passwords are based on Unix time, so time zones are irrelevant.

[verita1]

The key is to use the same authenticator 2FA App and sim card that you used to create your 2FA. I use Authy, at first I started using it from my PC. But after checking that I could use the exchange platforms in the same way and faster with my phone. I synced my phone with Authy and was able to access all my 2FAs with no problem. I was lucky but I always had the fear that it wouldn't work but it worked.

[The Cryptovator]

Obviously make sure you are using the correct code for the correct site.

Exactly, I wondering about that. This is something OP should make sure of. Sometimes I made the same mistake, mix up the authenticate codes with each other. OP would try by using all the codes. If it's not working even time is synchronized correctly. Otherwise, you have to raise support to reset your Google Authentication codes. If you can provide reasonable evidence accordingly, then hope they will reset it.

[AB de Royse777]

The reason of not using Google authenticator is because, at that time they did not have any back up system, I guess now they have introduced it.

No, it still does not have any back up capabilities. The codes being talked about are simply the shared secret codes that the exchange site provides when you set up the 2FA in the first place - the same code that is encoded in the QR image you scan with your authenticator app.

Then it's risky to use Google auhenticator. If you do not have the 2FA key saved from the service providers and if you have many 2FAs - losing the device with 2FA is always problematic for you. You go to every individual service providers and contact the customer support to disable the 2FA and in some cases some of them takes minimum two weeks to remove it and give you regular access.

I have had such experience when I had Google authenticator, and I was not introduced with Authy. I lost my phone, and I was totally f**ked. It took me a few weeks to contact each of the service providers to recover my accounts. I remember at that time cryptopia took more than two weeks.

[Findingnemo]

The reason of not using Google authenticator is because, at that time they did not have any back up system, I guess now they have introduced it.

No, it still does not have any back up capabilities. The codes being talked about are simply the shared secret codes that the exchange site provides when you set up the 2FA in the first place - the same code that is encoded in the QR image you scan with your authenticator app.

Then it's risky to use Google auhenticator. If you do not have the 2FA key saved from the service providers and if you have many 2FAs - losing the device with 2FA is always problematic for you. You go to every individual service providers and contact the customer support to disable the 2FA and in some cases some of them takes minimum two weeks to remove it and give you regular access.

I have had such experience when I had Google authenticator, and I was not introduced with Authy. I lost my phone, and I was totally f**ked. It took me a few weeks to contact each of the service providers to recover my accounts. I remember at that time cryptopia took more than two weeks.

You are lucky but in 2020 if someone tries to recover their account access after losing their 2FA codes then it may take forever especially with coinbase like services.

Trying on the other device.with the recovery seeds for Authenticator seems to be the only option now, or else OP can access with 2FA recovery from the service provider itself.

[AB de Royse777]

You are lucky but in 2020 if someone tries to recover their account access after losing their 2FA codes then it may take forever especially with coinbase like services.

I am positive that I did not have Coinbase account to recover so there were no worries about it :-D

Trying on the other device.with the recovery seeds for Authenticator seems to be the only option now, or else OP can access with 2FA recovery from the service provider itself.

Trust me Authy is the best option. Use their desktop app. In OP's case I am sure this has something to do with the time setting in his device since he is getting error for all the 2FA keys he has.

[Findingnemo]

You are lucky but in 2020 if someone tries to recover their account access after losing their 2FA codes then it may take forever especially with coinbase like services.

I am positive that I did not have Coinbase account to recover so there were no worries about it :-D

Trying on the other device.with the recovery seeds for Authenticator seems to be the only option now, or else OP can access with 2FA recovery from the service provider itself.

Trust me Authy is the best option. Use their desktop app. In OP's case I am sure this has something to do with the time setting in his device since he is getting error for all the 2FA keys he has.

I am also moved to Authy a long time ago because they offer login with the same codes on multiple devices, and currently using Google Authenticator for social media protection which works fine for me.

I never encountered any issues with time sync with both Authenticators that is why it looks new to me.

[kamadazje]

In your case, it will be good if you can direct your queries to the support of the exchanges that you are currently using because if you have a verified exchage account it will only take a little time to solve your problem as long as you can provide a document that it is really yours.

It is pretty difficult to solve your problem right now using the Google Authenticator as there is a big chance that the data is not the same anymore even if you were able to sync the Authenticators successfully. You should have disabled first your 2FA before you decide to reset your old phone so you will not experience this kind of problem even if you got a new phone as you can easily setup a new 2FA using the authenticator of your new phone.

[btcsmlcmnr]

OP did not log in the account 4 days and I am lost that OP did resolved the issue or not yet.
- Correct timer
- Use a correct code
- Get a new code from support ticket

Obviously make sure you are using the correct code for the correct site.

Exactly, I wondering about that. This is something OP should make sure of. Sometimes I made the same mistake, mix up the authenticate codes with each other. OP would try by using all the codes. If it's not working even time is synchronized correctly. Otherwise, you have to raise support to reset your Google Authentication codes. If you can provide reasonable evidence accordingly, then hope they will reset it.

I did it too. I used to change my 2FA secret code, from old to new and later, I used old secret code to install 2FA on my new devices. Obviously it did not work. OP can check this point if he did made a few backup versions.

Just in case, OP did resolved the issue, please make a post to say thank you or edit OP and add "thank you". Last step to do is lock the topic if the issue was resolved. If the issue was resolved and the topic won't be locked, members and spammers will join and deteriorate it up to spam topic.

You got help? It would be polite to say "thank you" and give feedback.