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Sep 8, 2024
Corrupted Google Authenticator codes.
(update: have regained access to account)
Authenticator app shows 6 dashes/underscores ( _ _ _ _ _ _ ) instead of numbers for either Google accounts (@gmail) or Google workspace accounts.
When pressing on the six underscores in Authenticator app this message appears & no code is copied
“Could not generate code for this account. Try removing it from Authenticator and setting it up again.”
I can still login using alternate authentication 2FA at mail.google.com and myaccount.google.com
My issue, when trying to change Security settings to remove and add a new Authenticator 2-step (via Security at myaccount.google.com) I am asked for my password and then a second factor. Which is only offered as the failed authenticator code. Additionally, same issue going to admin.google.com and trying to login, this is a workspace admin user account.
Any advice
1) For “Uncorrupting” the code in Authenticator?
2) Might this be fixed in next Authenticator app update?
3) Alternate login procedure to be able to use alternate 2-step authentication factors when changing Security settings?
4) Account recovery that turns off 2-step. Not trying to just change the password.
Thanks!
Notes as an FYI:
a) I am not sure when the actual date the codes disappeared. But, I noticed it after the Aug 28, 2024 update. Version 7.0.
b) I was able to rescue several other Google accounts by removing & re-adding authenticator codes via QR codes.
c) Authenticator will not export corrupted QR code via transfer.
d) Other accounts in Authenticator (non-Google) were not Corrupted
e) Not using online backup
f) I inadvertently did a account recovery. Thought I was doing something else; but then realized that it had recovered my account. Email received “Your Google Account was recovered successfully”. Used actual password and backup code in this process. This request did not change 2-step request. I did not need to change password.
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Last edited Sep 12, 2024
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Sep 12, 2024
Eventually I clicked forgot password (even though I knew it). I followed the recovery steps, using a backup code, and I set a new password. (I had a recovery email set up and got a code there that I used for recovery.)
After I set the new password, I believe that I had opened another tab, logged out of gmail, tried to reach the security settings after logging in again and it still asked me for my authenticator authentication code, but I went back to the previous browser window & I noticed “Sign-in and Recovery” and clicked on the link “2-step verification settings” under “Sign-in and Recovery” and suddenly I was asked for a non-authenticator second factor. I was then allowed to remove and re-add an Authenticator code.
If this happens to me again I will visit https://myaccount.google.com/security-checkup and look for sign-in and recovery and click on the link for “2-step verification settings” as my first step.