Twilio will ditch its Authy desktop 2FA app in August, goes mobile only

The Authy desktop apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux will be discontinued in August 2024, with the company recommending users switch to a mobile version of the two-factor authentication (2FA) app.

Authy is an authenticator app that allows users to set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for their online accounts, generating a unique validation code every 30 seconds to facilitate authorized access.

The app's popularity is due to its ability to generate offline codes, cross-device syncing, the option to keep encrypted backups in the cloud for account recovery in case of device loss, and strong token encryption for security.

Its vendor, Twilio, warned today that it plans to sunset the desktop app this summer to concentrate its development efforts and resources on areas with higher demand.

"We made this difficult decision to sunset the Twilio Authy desktop apps in order to streamline our focus and provide more value on existing product solutions for which we see increasing demand," explains Twilion in a new support document.

Twilio is going through a turbulent period of restructuring, and the company announced today the stepping down of its co-founder Jeff Lawson as CEO and board member amid slowing sales growth and pressure from investors.

Recommendations for users

Existing users of the Authy app for the desktop are "strongly recommended to immediately switch" to using the iOS or Google app, sourced from the Apple App Store and Google Play, respectively.

Twilio notes that the iOS app will remain available to download on M1/M2 Apple computers, so macOS users on Apple Silicon hardware won't be affected for now.

Enabling Authy's backups feature will cause your tokens in the desktop client to automatically synchronize with your mobile app.

Applications and platforms relying on Authy's API to authenticate their users must inform their customers of the need to switch by August 2024.

Twilio lists alternative desktop apps for users who can't or prefer not to use a mobile device for 2FA, with recommendations including 1Password, KeepassXC, Authenticator, Step Two, and Secrets.

It is noted that the Authy app lacks an export feature, so those who switch to another 2FA app will have to first disable Authy from every platform it's used on and then set up 2FA again on the new app.

Users are warned not to delete their tokens on Authy before they disable 2FA on their accounts first, as this may result in them being locked out of their accounts.

Depending on what action impacted users take, it is crucial to consider and perform the manual process steps with caution, as a single error could lead to losing access to accounts.