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How to Use Google Authenticator on a Windows PC

In this article, we will be talking about how to use Google Authenticator onWindowsw PC. Click the link to read the full guide.

Author:Daniel BarrettMay 01, 2022123400 Shares1713884 Views
Google Authenticator can be very useful when it comes to protecting your data. This is a super-handy app that offers extra protection, and it app can be used to protect a lot of things online. To avoid getting hacked on social media, Private applications, and websites, 2FA is the best security. In this article, we will discuss how to use Google Authenticator on Windows PC.
More importantly, Google Authenticator can be helpful, but it’s quite annoying that Google hasn’t made it an official desktop app. In a nutshell, it can be used via other means without waiting for the official app to be released on PC.
Talking of alternative ways or methods available to utilize Google’s authentication protocol, this requires some steps to get done. So keep reading and ensure you don’t skip any step. You’ll be able to initiate 2FA on your Windows PC.

How to Use Google Authenticator on a Windows PC

As mentioned earlier, Google Authenticator hasn’t been officially launched for Windows, but there are so many third-party apps that create Google 2FA codes for apps or online accounts on Windows. Those applications work with Google’s secret authentication code to serve up two-factor authentication (2FA).
Other authenticator apps can manage authentication codes using an app’s 2FA setup code directly instead of using Google’s secret authentication code to create those 2FA codes. However, Google Authenticator will receive a scanned code from the third-party app you’re using to set up 2FA and produces a 2FA code to access the app or online account.
However, you may not be able to use the Google Authentication protocol yourself, but a desktop authenticator app that accepts 2FA setup codes from other apps and online accounts or let the third-party app handle Google authentication using Google’s secret authenticator code.
  • Visit your Google Account Security page.
  • Navigate to the “Signing in to Google” section, and push on “2-Step Verification.”
  • Please enter your login credentials to verify it’s you.
  • Select the correct Gmail account via the dropdown list under your name.
  • Then enter your password in the field provided.
  • Click on “Next” to continue.
  • Turn it on by clicking the “Turn ON” button to enable two-step verification.
  • Once you’ve made sure your two-step verification is ON, then follow the prompts, including providing the phone information.
  • In the “Authenticator App” section, choose “SET UP.”
  • Follow the prompts until you reach the WR code scan.
  • Now, click on “CAN’T SCAN IT?”
  • You’ll see a secret authentication code that appears, copy it, and past it into Windows Notepad, Mac TextEdit, or somewhere safe.
  • Open your third-party authenticator and paste the code into the proper section where it asks for the Google Authenticator key.
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