Entering your Google Authenticator 2FA or Authy code correctly and having it rejected is a heart-pounding experience.
It turns out 2FA fails like this are happening all the time. It happened to a member of The Daily Hodl today on Binance.
Fortunately, the support team at the popular exchange was responsive and got everything back on track.
Here’s What To Do
The culprit is usually the clock setting on your phone, which can easily bring 2FA crashing to a halt.
2FA codes time out after just two minutes, and if the clock on your phone has “Automatic time zone” and “Automatic date & time” switched off, you’re at risk of instantly timing out and encountering the dreaded 2FA fail.
User Kenneth Slaw also left a great suggestion in the comments section below. With Google Authenticator, you can also open your app, tap on the three dots in the top-right corner, go to settings and then go to “Time correction for codes”. Thanks Kenneth!
Important: Save Your Backup Codes or Use Authy
If you use Authenticator, it’s crucial to be on point and always save your backup codes – especially if you lose your phone. If you’re not prepared, you could encounter major headaches in the future.
You may also want to consider switching from Google Authenticator to Authy. It can be used anywhere Authenticator is accepted, seems to have fewer issues overall, and uses backup codes as well. You can also install Authy on multiple devices, which is something Authenticator does not allow you to do.
This helps you to avoid one of the biggest pitfalls in all of 2FA, and that’s what to do if your phone disappears. With Authenticator, you will be completely out of luck if you lose access to your phone and don’t have your backup codes ready. Your only option will be to contact the site you’re trying to log into and go through the steps to prove who you are and reset your 2FA options. With Authy, if you lose you’re phone it’s no sweat, you can just open Authy on your computer or another device.
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Thank you. It worked!!!!
That is not a factual statement when the author said google authenticator can’t be used on multiple devices. When u have your code u can input it manually and i know this, because I have google authenticator on more than one device. It is never safe to have google authenticator on the same device your using the codes for. Authy was in fact hacked not to long ago by porting and is DEFINITELY not the safer choice in 2fa. I think i have an email saved from when they sent it to me telling me not to use it because of the hack. I have never had anything but security from google auth and if u have issues its usually human error.
same problem but i fixed it!!! on your google auth app, go to top right corner 3 dot icon, go to settings, and go to time correction for codes. do that and it worked for me! hope it works for you!!
I had this issue. I had done a recent upgrade to my phone and somehow it had pushed my time out by 30 seconds or so. I went to timeanddate.com and found out the exact time and checked on the phones clock. Once I set it to the correct time everything was fine. Phew!
Use Authy as your 2FA-App instead of Google Authenticator, thank me later
Same exact issue.
Same here. Date and time are correct. I saved the back up codes and set them up on my new phone, wife’s phone, ipad, etc. None of those are working, even though my email address and Binance shows up on the authenticator app. Wrote to Binance 3 days ago and haven’t heard anything back.
Yup, same here. three days now: authenticator and website on same device so no synch issues. And nothing from binance by way of reply to three requests for help. Funny though: it worked when I wanted to deposit funds…If I ever do get my coins out of them I will NOT be using them again. Also, and sickeningly, I am reading more and more examples of the same problem on various forums.
This is happening to me and they are NOT responding for over a week. Not happy. My auto is on for both. I got the fail and no help from Binance.