What Happens to Your Authy Account When You Die
Quick Facts
Multi-device
Yes — best feature
Cloud backup
Built in
Recovery
Phone number + password
Step-by-Step Guide
Enable multi-device (critical)
Settings → Devices → Allow multi-device. This lets you add Authy to multiple phones or tablets. If multi-device is off and the phone is lost, recovery is extremely difficult.
Set a strong backup password
Authy encrypts cloud backups with a password YOU set. Without this password, backed-up tokens cannot be decrypted. Store the password location (not the password itself) in your vault.
Add Authy to a second device
Install Authy on a tablet or second phone and verify with the same phone number. This gives your family access via the second device.
Document Now Checklist
- Note which phone(s) have Authy installed
- Note if multi-device is enabled
- Note location of Authy backup password
- Note the phone number linked to Authy
Last verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with Authy. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Related Guides
What is 2FA?
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is the single biggest barrier families face when accessing accounts after death. If 2FA is enabled on an account and nobody has the authenticator device or backup codes, the account may be permanently inaccessible.
Google Authenticator
Open Google Authenticator → tap your profile icon → turn on sync. This backs up your 2FA codes to your Google account so they survive phone loss.
Microsoft Authenticator
Settings → Backup → turn on Cloud backup. Requires a Microsoft account. Backed-up codes can be restored on a new phone by signing into the same Microsoft account.
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