Microsoft Authenticator Backup on Android Moves to Google One

From January 2027, Microsoft Authenticator on Android will stop backing up your one-time password codes to your Microsoft personal account. Backup moves to Android’s own Backup by Google One, and you will need to enable “Microsoft Authenticator” there. Microsoft added the notice to its Authenticator backup support page, and 9to5Google reported the change on November 3, 2026. Turn on Google One backup now so your codes are covered before the switch.

This guide explains what changes, what the backup does and doesn’t include, how to set up Google One backup, and what to sort out before you change phones.

What changes in January 2027

	Until January 2027	From January 2027
Where to turn backup on	Authenticator: menu > Settings > Cloud Backup	Android Settings: Google One backup, with Microsoft Authenticator enabled
Where the backup is stored	Your Microsoft personal account	Your Google account (Google One backup)
iPhone	iCloud Backup	No change announced

Microsoft’s note is one line: “Starting January 2027, you will no longer use your Microsoft personal account to enable backup. You will need to enable ‘Microsoft Authenticator’ from Google One backup.” It does not say what happens to backups already stored in Microsoft accounts, whether they will be migrated, or which Authenticator version makes the change. We’ll update this guide when Microsoft publishes more.

What Authenticator backup includes

The rules in Microsoft’s support docs apply regardless of where the backup lives:

• Third-party accounts (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Amazon and others that use 6-digit codes refreshing every 30 seconds): the codes are backed up and work after a restore.
• Microsoft personal accounts: 30-second codes are backed up. Passwordless sign-in is not; you sign in again after restoring.
• Work or school accounts: only the account name is saved. You must sign in and re-register on the new phone, so keep the old phone until you have done that.
• Same platform only: an Android backup can’t be restored on an iPhone, and vice versa.

Step 1: Check your current Authenticator backup

1. Open Microsoft Authenticator.
2. Tap the menu icon, then Settings.
3. Under Backup, check that Cloud Backup is on and shows the Microsoft account you expect.

Leave this on until January. Turning it off deletes the existing backup, according to Microsoft, and you’d have no copy until the Google One route is active.

Step 2: Turn on Backup by Google One

Google’s Android backup help page gives this path. Menu names vary slightly between Pixel, Samsung and other brands.

1. Open the phone’s Settings app.
2. Tap Google, then All services.
3. Under Backup and restore, tap Backup.
4. Turn on Backup by Google One and choose Device data (add Photos & videos if you want those too).
5. Tap Back up now to start the first backup instead of waiting for the next automatic one.

Google says part of the backup is end-to-end encrypted with your screen lock, which is why it asks for a PIN, pattern or password rather than swipe or Smart Lock. The backup counts toward the 15 GB of free storage in your Google account; if that’s nearly full, see our guide to finding what is using your Google storage.

Step 3: Enable Microsoft Authenticator in Google One backup

Microsoft says you will need to enable “Microsoft Authenticator” from Google One backup, but it hasn’t shown where that option appears or whether it is live yet. Look on the Backup screen from Step 2 for app data or an app list that includes Microsoft Authenticator, and turn it on if it’s there. If you don’t see it, the option probably hasn’t rolled out; keep the Microsoft account backup from Step 1 on and check again in December. We could not confirm the exact label before publishing.

Before you switch phones

1. Confirm Google One shows a recent backup time on the old phone.
2. On the new phone, sign in to the same Google account during setup and restore from that backup. Google warns that the new phone must run the same or a newer Android version.
3. Open Authenticator and tap Sign in next to any account marked “Sign in to restore your account.”
4. Re-register work or school accounts while the old phone still works.
5. Only then remove Authenticator from the old phone.

It also helps to have a second sign-in method on your most important accounts, so one lost phone can’t lock you out. Our guide to two-step verification for Google and Microsoft accounts covers backup codes and extra methods.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a paid Google One plan?

No. Google says device backup uses the free 15 GB of storage that comes with every Google account. You only need more if that space is full.

Will my current Microsoft account backup be deleted in January?

Microsoft hasn’t said. Keep it on until Microsoft publishes details, and set up Google One backup alongside it.

Does this affect Authenticator on iPhone?

No change has been announced for iOS, where Authenticator already uses iCloud Backup.

Can I move my codes from Android to an iPhone?

Not through backup. Microsoft says backups only restore on the same platform, so you would add each account again on the iPhone.

What to do next

Today, confirm Cloud Backup is on in Authenticator and turn on Backup by Google One with Back up now. In December, check the Google One backup screen for a Microsoft Authenticator option and enable it.

For an even stronger sign-in, set up passkeys for your Google and Microsoft accounts.

Sources

Checked on November 4, 2026. Microsoft’s support page is the only official source for the January 2027 date, and it does not yet describe migration of existing backups. Android menu paths come from Google’s help page and may differ on some phone brands.

• Microsoft Support: Back up one-time password codes in Microsoft Authenticator
• Microsoft Support: Restore one-time password codes in Microsoft Authenticator
• Android Help: Back up or restore data on your Android device
• 9to5Google: Microsoft Authenticator ditching its backup for Google One (Nov 3, 2026)