Secure passwords are the first layer of security for your online accounts, but they’re not enough on their own to keep you safe from data leaks and hackers.
That’s where your 2FA app comes in. Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of defense when logging in to your accounts. It’s a universally recommended way to keep your accounts secure.
Today we’re introducing Proton Authenticator, a free 2FA app that gives you more flexibility than other authenticators, along with strong encryption from a trusted team. Proton Authenticator is open source like all our apps, available for every device (including desktop!), and lets you import all your existing 2FA tokens in seconds.
Proton Authenticator is available now for free on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Redefining 2FA to give you more control
The increasing menace of account takeover attacks costs people and businesses tens of billions of dollars(nové okno) every year. Unlike other kinds of cyber threats, this one is relatively simple to prevent — just enable 2FA on your accounts.
With 2FA, you’ll enter a second piece of information in addition to your password when logging in to an account. Typically that info is a six-digit code generated by your authenticator app. Even if someone has your password, they can’t gain access to your account. While SMS authentication codes are another common option, this leaves you vulnerable to sim swapping attacks. An authenticator app is much more difficult for hackers to crack because it generates codes locally on your device, and each code expires after 30 seconds.
While there are many 2FA apps available, the majority are closed source, rely on ads and trackers, and don’t offer end-to-end encrypted 2FA backups, making them a choice filled with compromise for the Proton community. Some of them don’t even support data export, so you are trapped forever in a bad app that might eventually disappear. We wanted to offer a no-compromise choice.
Proton Authenticator gives you peace of mind and the freedom to use your 2FA codes however you want, wherever you want.
You can use Proton Authenticator to:
- Access your 2FA codes on mobile and desktop apps, even offline.
- Sync your 2FA codes to all your devices with end-to-end encryption.
- Enable automatic backups for peace of mind
- Easily import from other 2FA apps, or export from Proton Authenticator.
- Protect your account with biometrics or a PIN code.
Like all Proton services, Proton Authenticator is open source, so it’s verifiably secure and private.
See how Proton Authenticator compares
Proton Authenticator protects your accounts with best-in-class security for free, whether you have a Proton Account or not. You can sign in to your Proton Account or use iCloud sync if you want to sync your codes between multiple devices, or you can keep your codes locally on one device. It’s a greater level of flexibility than many other 2FA apps available.
Here’s how Proton Authenticator compares with other popular 2FA apps:
Proton Authenticator will always be free to use on desktop and mobile apps so everyone in the world can protect their data. It’s the same reason we offer basic encrypted email, VPN, and other services for free — privacy is a right.
Proton Pass or Authenticator? Choose the right 2FA for you
No one understands your online habits or security needs better than you — that’s why we give you the power to choose how to secure your accounts. We created Proton Authenticator even though Proton Pass already has a built-in 2FA authenticator feature so that you can choose a tool that works for you, regardless of your threat model.
For convenience: Proton Pass lets you autofill your 2FA codes with your passwords, making logins faster and easier.
For advanced security: Proton Authenticator generates your 2FA codes in a separate, end-to-end encrypted app. This adds an extra layer of security and protects against sophisticated attacks. It also gives you a standalone app you can use to set up 2FA for your Proton Account.
Whether you manage dozens of accounts daily or need a high-security setup, Proton has a privacy-first, easy-to-use solution for you.
Built on trust, not surveillance
We’re building a private internet thanks to the support and dedication of our community. Starting in 2014 with Proton Mail, the world’s largest encrypted email service, you can now protect even more of your data with end-to-end encryption using Proton VPN(nové okno), Proton Drive, Proton Pass — and now Proton Authenticator. People and privacy will always come first because our primary shareholder is the nonprofit Proton Foundation, whose mission is to defend the digital rights of our community.
Proton Authenticator will make it easier for everyone to log in to their online accounts securely, a vital step in making the internet a safer place. As we roll it out, your feedback is essential for helping us build the most useful tool for you: Let us know how Proton Authenticator works for you on UserVoice(nové okno), X(nové okno), or Reddit(nové okno).
