Twilio, the parent company of Authy, announced on Wednesday through an updated support article that it plans to discontinue the Authy Desktop application on March 19, 2024. The announcement left some ambiguity, as it didn’t specify whether the desktop apps would cease functioning entirely after the stated date or merely stop receiving updates. However, Twilio did clarify that it intends to continue supporting the mobile versions of the app.
Authy Desktop’s departure is poised to be a significant inconvenience for those accustomed to accessing 2FA-protected accounts directly from their computers, especially since it’s among the few desktop 2FA code generators available for Mac users. This shift forces users to rely more on their smartphones, where the majority of 2FA applications are typically installed.
For Mac users with Apple silicon, Authy suggests a workaround by recommending the download of its iOS app version onto their computers. For others, the advice is to stick with the mobile app or consider transitioning to an alternative authenticator application. However, moving to a different 2FA service could be a hassle, as it requires disabling 2FA on all associated accounts beforehand, given Authy’s lack of an account export feature.
Adding to the mix, it’s worth noting that Authy had initially planned to sunset its desktop app by August 2024. This recent announcement moves up the timeline by several months, indicating a strategic pivot to “streamline our focus and provide more value on existing product solutions for which we see increasing demand.” This decision reflects the company’s efforts to concentrate on the areas of their service that are witnessing more user engagement and demand.
Moving off of Authy isn’t very straightforward as the application does not allow any exporting. Good news is that several kind hearted people have written github articles on how to get your tokens out of the application if you’re thinking about moving to another solution:
https://gist.github.com/gboudreau/94bb0c11a6209c82418d01a59d958c93
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