Review Insights · App Store
Google Authenticator
Google · 1,089,479 ratings · ★ 4.9
4.9
★★★★★
1,089,479 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 39 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"google"
10 negative reviews mention this · 26% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Always wrong code🤦. I have chrome authenticator on my pc, and their code always works, but when i tried google authenticator it always gives me wrong codes, don’t even waste ur time downloading nor trying it" - shimerwastaken
2
"work"
8 negative reviews mention this · 21% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Need help. Still not working" - Rickey Vincent
3
"phone"
7 negative reviews mention this · 18% of all complaints
★★★★★ "This suck. This is NOT HELPFUL FOR PPL WHO HAVE 1 phone" - Ghftredsw
4
"codes"
7 negative reviews mention this · 18% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Always wrong code🤦. I have chrome authenticator on my pc, and their code always works, but when i tried google authenticator it always gives me wrong codes, don’t even waste ur time downloading nor trying it" - shimerwastaken
5
"code"
6 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Owner. Im putting in the code and keeps saying not valid" - Chalchis O
6
"account"
5 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "DO NOT USE THIS IF YOU PLAN ON USING FOR AN UNDER 18 ACCOUNT. ^" - Itay12jsgshsjajsgs
7
"accounts"
5 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "The one serious flaw. This is generally good, but if you forget to migrate things manually before getting a new phone, your accounts are forever lost" - 3XC1st
8
"authenticator"
5 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Always wrong code🤦. I have chrome authenticator on my pc, and their code always works, but when i tried google authenticator it always gives me wrong codes, don’t even waste ur time downloading nor trying it" - shimerwastaken
9
"trying"
4 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Keeps popping up a modal dialogue asking me to review it when I’m trying to use it. Applications should not do that. It is hostile and annoying." - L.A.M.W
10
"access"
4 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "No real way to recover my own Google account while abroad. I am extremely frustrated with Google account recovery. I created this account myself. I know the email address. I know the password. But Google still blocks me from signing in because I am currently in another country and cannot confirm t…" - ildusiks27
11
"horrible"
4 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Horrible what about joke. It dont even function every time i attempt to get a new number google says invalid number complete garbage dont waste your time this app sucks its just a wast of space and time no actual protection is going to come from this app" - The uni bonger
12
"invalid"
4 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Horrible what about joke. It dont even function every time i attempt to get a new number google says invalid number complete garbage dont waste your time this app sucks its just a wast of space and time no actual protection is going to come from this app" - The uni bonger
📋 All 39 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Need help
Still not working
Not intuitive
Not intuitive or easy to use. Ugghh
PIA
I hate MFA
DO NOT USE THIS IF YOU PLAN ON USING FOR AN UNDER 18 ACCOUNT
^
Owner
Im putting in the code and keeps saying not valid
No
Stop asking whether I love you. Jebus Crabst.
Doesn’t work
Can’t get it to work.
Not user friendly
This is hard to set up because the instructions aren’t easily found.
Can not restore deleted Facebook or others
Terrible no backs automatically so you lose every thing.
Log in and pop ups
Confusing
This suck
This is NOT HELPFUL FOR PPL WHO HAVE 1 phone
Bad
Awful product with no instructions
Keeps popping up a modal dialogue asking me to review it when I’m trying to use it
Applications should not do that. It is hostile and annoying.
Always wrong code🤦
I have chrome authenticator on my pc, and their code always works, but when i tried google authenticator it always gives me wrong codes, don’t even waste ur time downloading nor trying it
More feedback requests
When will vendors learn that we have jobs to do that don’t include stroking their ego?
No real way to recover my own Google account while abroad
I am extremely frustrated with Google account recovery.
I created this account myself. I know the email address. I know the password. But Google still blocks me from signing in because I am currently in another country and cannot confirm the login from an old device that is physically unavailable.
The main problem is this: Google does not even give me meaningful recovery questions to answer. I am simply told that I did not provide enough information, while no real alternative path is offered.
This creates an absurd situation:
- I know the login credentials
- I am the legitimate account owner
- I am willing to verify ownership
- but Google gives me no practical way to do so
Telling users to use the old device or familiar Wi-Fi is not a real solution when that device is unavailable or located in another country. People travel, move, lose devices, replace devices, and still need access to their own accounts.
My complaint is not only about access to this account, but also about the lack of a real escalation path. There is no clear way to contact an actual support agent, no meaningful appeal process, and no transparent explanation of what exact proof would be sufficient.
Please explain:
1. What exact recovery options exist when the old device is unavailable
2. Why password knowledge is treated as insufficient with no alternative verification path
3. How a legitimate user located abroad is supposed to recover access
4. Where a user can submit a formal complaint and receive an official response
At the moment, the system feels closed, unhelpful, and unreasonable. A security system should protect users, not lock them out with no realistic way back in.
I created this account myself. I know the email address. I know the password. But Google still blocks me from signing in because I am currently in another country and cannot confirm the login from an old device that is physically unavailable.
The main problem is this: Google does not even give me meaningful recovery questions to answer. I am simply told that I did not provide enough information, while no real alternative path is offered.
This creates an absurd situation:
- I know the login credentials
- I am the legitimate account owner
- I am willing to verify ownership
- but Google gives me no practical way to do so
Telling users to use the old device or familiar Wi-Fi is not a real solution when that device is unavailable or located in another country. People travel, move, lose devices, replace devices, and still need access to their own accounts.
My complaint is not only about access to this account, but also about the lack of a real escalation path. There is no clear way to contact an actual support agent, no meaningful appeal process, and no transparent explanation of what exact proof would be sufficient.
Please explain:
1. What exact recovery options exist when the old device is unavailable
2. Why password knowledge is treated as insufficient with no alternative verification path
3. How a legitimate user located abroad is supposed to recover access
4. Where a user can submit a formal complaint and receive an official response
At the moment, the system feels closed, unhelpful, and unreasonable. A security system should protect users, not lock them out with no realistic way back in.
Try syncing across more than one device after making changes to your tokens. I dare you.
I’m not going to relay my story in detail here because I’m too upset right now. Suffice to say that I was stuck cleaning up a massive mess of duplicate tokens because of the ineptitude of Google’s engineers. I am now in the process of replacing Google Authenticator and I will never return. This app is absolutely awful.
I hope 2FA’s get cancer
And we get to watch it shrivel and die in agony because this is ridiculous
Can’t use without update
Can’t use without update
QR code
How do I get the QR code please help me get the QR code thank you
Horrible what about joke
It dont even function every time i attempt to get a new number google says invalid number complete garbage dont waste your time this app sucks its just a wast of space and time no actual protection is going to come from this app
THE WORST APP TO SAVE CODES
How the hell I just format my phone and downloaded the app and all codes are gone?? And I’ve done it before and everything came back
Trash
This app is garbage do not buy the 6 digit codes it gives you do not work
Sucks balls
What a hassle. Hate that I have to work so hard just to access my accounts. Horrible
It’s too confusing and does not work
I am locked out of my account and unable to access it and I have tried entering the Google authenticator codes and they keep coming back as in invalid. It’s ridiculous!
Get QR code from Photo instead of Camera
When adding a QR code, no option to capture it from a picture, instead of only using a camera. This is absolutely necessary when the code is on this phone screen.
2-factor required to log in when installing - no way to get a code
While installing this on an iPad Pro, I was able to install and then associate a google account. This google account required 2-factor authentication, however I cannot get a code because the account has not yet been added and there were no alternative methods to try. So stupid. Im trying to log into OKTA. Gave up and quit. The only one of these auth apps that works consistently is Microsoft.
Was great but as usual for google
Unable to scan a barcode that everything else can scan and work with
Danger! You will lose everything
When I got a new phone my Authenticator Ap was deleted. I lost access to my Facebook and Coinbase accounts. Now I do NOT Use this ap for 2FA
doesnt work
app doesn't work and google offers no support
Horrible app
This is the most unfriendly app that there is I cannot stand Google
Doesn’t work
Doesn’t allow you to scan from your phone. No help or information to help
Nada Que ver
La descargue la app bien ilucionada porque tengo problemas con robo de identidad pensando que me iba ayudar y no tiene opciones no le entiendo nada
TERRIBLE
Why tf are your codes absolute buns… trying to get in for 50 mins now and i cant due to invalid codes horrible
Transfer devices
It should sync with Apple ID so I can use across devices
So frustrating
THIS IS USELESS AND DOES NOT WORK. Every time I submit a code upon request the app, site or service tells me the code is invalid. Do not waste your time.
The headache
I have been going through a lot of head and heartache because of this app. It’s all for starters. I had a Google account and a Discord account linked to this authenticator and unknowingly. I lost my phone and lost the authenticator app that was on the phone. So I got a new phone expecting the codes that I had set up to be on this new phone because I have the same account. I was very mistaken so for the last two weeks I have been emailing support of both places to no avail. Unfortunately, I will not be getting those accounts back even with other ways to log in…..
The one serious flaw
This is generally good, but if you forget to migrate things manually before getting a new phone, your accounts are forever lost
Organizing is a problem
If you are like me and have dozens of QR codes to keep up with, Adding the ability to group codes into folders would be a great enhancement.
Sentiment summary
97%
Positive (4-5★)
1%
Neutral (3★)
2%
Negative (1-2★)