Ask HN: How to recover Google auth after phone stolen?

As we know, google has been effective at automating a lot of their systems, to the point where it can feel like there isn't any help available from a human. So what is supposed to be the plan when this type of situation happens?

Basically I have a situation that after my phone was stolen, I can't get into any of my accounts that are either connected to google, or connected to the phone via 2FA. This has made it complicated/impossible not only to get info about my phone, but also my banking, email, drive, etc.

Of course they offer you "multiple options" to recover an account, but not if you forgot your old email's password. At that point the options you get are,

  a) Use old phone (obviously the phone is long gone)

  b) Use current phone (the phone is gone)

  c) Use old email (I haven't used it in like 12 years)

I'd imagine that this has happened to people many many times, and given how phones and particularly, google auth have become so critical to accomplishing essential tasks within society, there must be some way. Or maybe it's just like, once your phone is gone, you are completely over with society? If anyone has any experience with this or inside knowledge please share it!

I'm sure people here have heard of this, and maybe experienced it themselves.

Is there a secret option that exists that allows us to use passwords instead of rigamarole? I would love an account that let me simply log in with a password, like google used to be.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49742976

Points: 82

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