Google Authenticator and recovery codes
Enable the second factor, store recovery codes safely and prepare for a new phone.
Where to find it
Sign in to your account first
In this guide
Google Authenticator adds a one-time TOTP confirmation after password or PIN sign-in. The same protection, enabled beforehand, can recover a forgotten password without email access. Find it under Dashboard → Settings → Security; installing the app without completing setup on FayVay does not enable protection for the account.
Prepare access and a backup route
- Sign in and have your current password ready. For a Quick account, first save and acknowledge the generated credentials; incomplete acknowledgement prevents enabling this protection.
- Have the Authenticator app ready on your own device and enable automatic date and time. Codes depend on time, so an incorrect clock can prevent verification even when the setup key is correct.
- Choose a secure place for recovery codes separate from the phone. Only you should have access to the phone, setup key and recovery codes.
Enable the second factor
Start setup
Open the Google Authenticator panel in Security. Enter your current password and press Enable Google Authenticator. Wait for the setup information; starting again unnecessarily can create a different pending setup.
Add a FayVay entry
On a phone, you can press Open Google Authenticator. If the app does not open, add an entry manually with Enter a setup key, using the displayed account and secret key. Use the information from the current setup screen. Do not send the key to Support or include it in a shared screenshot.
Confirm with a current code
Enter the six-digit code shown in the new app entry and confirm setup. Protection becomes active only after the site confirms success. If setup expired, start again and use the new key; remove an old unfinished app entry after checking that the new setup works.
Save the recovery codes
After setup, the site displays recovery codes. Copy them into secure storage, verify the saved copy and press I’ve saved the codes. That set cannot be displayed again after closing it. Each code works once; keeping the only copy on the same phone is risky.
What each confirmation is for
| Password or PIN | Starts sign-in. When protection is enabled, a second factor is required afterward; PIN does not remove that requirement. |
|---|---|
| Current app code | Confirms sign-in and sensitive actions. Use a fresh code from the correct entry, rather than a code for another website. |
| Recovery code | Replaces an unavailable app for supported confirmations, including password recovery. Once used, the code is consumed. |
Example: your phone is temporarily unavailable
After password entry the site requests a code, but your phone has no battery. Switch to recovery-code mode and use one you saved beforehand. After signing in, mark it used in your secure store and review the remaining count. Protection continues when the app becomes available again; using a recovery code does not disable the Authenticator entry. If few codes remain, prepare a replacement set while you still have access.
New codes and a new phone
The enabled panel shows how many recovery codes remain. New recovery codes creates a replacement set after you confirm your current password and an app code or valid recovery code. The previous set is replaced, so update your secure copy immediately. Before changing phones, ensure that you have a working confirmation method. If you have not transferred the app entry, do not erase the old phone before checking access from the new one.
Disable protection
In Security, choose Disable Google Authenticator, enter your current password and an app or recovery code, then confirm. Enabling or disabling protection ends other sessions. The account receives a security notification. Do not disable protection at a contact’s request; first ensure the action is your own decision and that your mailbox is secure.
Errors and lost access
A correct-looking code is rejected?
Check the entry and automatic time, then wait for the next code. A code that was already accepted is not a new confirmation. If an unfinished setup expired, restart the setup procedure.
The app is unavailable?
Choose recovery-code mode on the sign-in or recovery screen. If both the app and codes are unavailable, check remaining access routes and use Contact; bypassing protection cannot be promised.
Protection remains after changing the password?
Yes. The password and second factor are separate layers. After a reset, sign in with the new password and complete the code request; do not delete a working Authenticator entry simply because the password changed.
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