Authy is retiring its desktop apps this summer

The company is shifting its focus exclusively to its mobile apps moving forward

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Summary

• Twilio's Authy app, a popular 2FA app, is receiving a major update this summer, offering enhanced security features and a streamlined user interface.
• Twilio has decided to discontinue its Authy desktop apps and go mobile-only starting in August 2024, focusing on providing more value to mobile users.
• Authy recommends that desktop app users switch to using the mobile app, which offers similar or better security features and automatic token syncing if the Backups feature is turned on.

These days, it's pretty much the standard for companies to ask us to set up a personal account for almost everything we do online. To help manage our tens, if not hundreds, of accounts, we have numerous great password managers to choose from. Still, the threat of phishing attacks and data leaks compromising account credentials looms large. Two-factor authentication adds that extra layer of security that protects our accounts even if an attacker steals our credentials, and one of our favorite 2FA apps is receiving a major update this summer.

When you sign in to an account that uses 2FA, you are prompted to enter your account password and a one-time password the 2FA app provides you. Android has many 2FA apps to choose from, all offering great options but differing in features. Authy is consistently at the top of our lists because of its simplicity. One notable concern in the past revolved around Authy's outdated mobile interface. However, Twilio, the brains behind Authy, recently tackled this issue by rolling out a beta version featuring a significant user interface upgrade. To take it one step further, in a recent document, Twilio has decided to sunset its Authy desktop apps and will go mobile-only starting in August (via BleepingComputer).

In the official statement, Twilio clarified that they are discontinuing the desktop apps in order to "streamline our focus and provide more value on existing product solutions for which we see increasing demand." The transition to a mobile-only model is excellent news for Authy mobile app users as they can expect more updates to the app in the future. So, what does it mean for Authy desktop app users? Authy recommends that you immediately switch to using its mobile apps. The mobile apps offer "similar or better" security features, and if you have the Backups feature already turned on, your token will sync automatically.

The Authy app is available on the Google Play and Apple App Stores. If a user cannot use the Authy mobile app, there are many alternative desktop products to choose from. Unfortunately, the Authy app does not have an export feature, so transferring tokens from Authy to a new 2FA service must be done manually. The process involves deactivating Authy from any associated accounts and then configuring the account with the new 2FA app. You can find instructions on how to do that at the bottom of the Authy announcement.

The Authy desktop app is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Although the official transition will occur in August, switching to the mobile version is recommended as soon as possible. For those who have had Authy mobile app gripes in the past, the renewed emphasis on its mobile platform should lend to more frequent and desired updates and features.