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 you can 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 your phone it’s no sweat. You can just open Authy on your computer or another device.
