Authenticator App recovery.

Mishana Dsouza 0 Reputation points
2026-05-15T06:44:19.37+00:00

So my previous phone screen got damaged as it fell from my hand. I had to purchase a new phone. So I did factory reset and exchanged.

I had Authenticator setup for Instagram and Facebook account. I didn't know we need to backup or something.

Now in my new phone I am unable to login to Instagram and Facebook as I need the code from The Authenticator app. Even if I do forgot password it's asking code from Authenticator.

If I open the Authenticator it's asking to scan Instagram n Facebook QR code to setup.

Please help!! I do not know what to do.

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator
0 comments No comments

1 answer

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. AI answer

    2026-05-15T06:44:31.2866667+00:00

    Microsoft Authenticator cannot recreate those Instagram and Facebook entries unless they were previously backed up from the old phone and restored to the same platform type (iOS→iOS or Android→Android). For third‑party accounts like Instagram and Facebook, Authenticator only stores the one‑time password (TOTP) secret locally or in that backup; it cannot recover it from Microsoft once the original device is wiped.

    Because the old phone was factory‑reset and there was no backup/restore of Authenticator, the TOTP secrets for Instagram and Facebook are lost from Authenticator. The only way to get back into those services is to use each service’s own account‑recovery options (for example, recovery email, SMS, backup codes, or support forms) and then set up new 2FA secrets in a fresh Authenticator configuration.

    Going forward, once access to Instagram and Facebook is recovered and 2FA is set up again in Microsoft Authenticator, enable backup on the phone so the Authenticator configuration can be restored if the device is lost or replaced:

    • On iOS, enable iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup, then turn on the Authenticator toggle in the “Saved to iCloud” list, and ensure Authenticator backup is enabled in the app.
    • On Android, use the corresponding cloud backup option supported by Authenticator (not detailed in the provided context).

    This ensures that, if the phone is replaced in the future, the one‑time password accounts for third‑party services can be restored to a new device of the same platform type.


    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.