2 weeks Ago By Justin Pot
Still looking for an alternative to Authy, the two-factor authenticator that used to have a desktop app? Ente Auth , an open-source application, might be what you're looking for. Authy, if you don't know, is a two-factor authentication app that we recommended ages ago —mostly because it offered a desktop app. But in March of 2024 Authy shut down the desktop app .
And that's not all. Twilio, the company that owns Authy, had some security issues in 2022 that resulted in problems for Authy users. This all means that plenty of people have been looking for a good two-factor authentication app with a desktop client—ideally an open source one.
I, personally, have had "replace Authy" on my to-do list for over a year at this point. Not anymore: Ente Auth is now that alternative. The application is free, open source, and offers clients for mobile devices and computers alike.
By default Ente Auth suggests you set up a username and password, which is necessary if you want to sync your codes between devices. If you don't like that from a security standpoint, however, you can use the application on a single device without any kind of account. There are a few features I like here that I haven't seen in other applications.
My favorite: Both the current login code and the one coming up next are shown on the screen, perfect when there are 10 seconds left and you know you won't finish typing the current code on time. Another thing I like: You can set the desktop application to open the search field when the application launches, meaning you can quickly search for the application you're trying to open without having to touch your mouse. You can even use the arrow keys to navigate to a code and the enter key to copy it.
The application is full of little touches like this that demonstrate they're thinking about the user. If there's one problem for former Authy users, it's the migration process, though that's more Authy's fault than Ente's. Ente offers tips for migrating but the easy ones both stopped working when Authy shut down their desktop app (the only method that still works requires a rooted Android phone).
Basically you're going to have to log into every account and manually change the 2FA applications, as we outlined when we explained how to switch from one 2FA app to another . It's an overwhelming prospect, especially if you have dozens of apps to migrate, but if you want to leave Authy it's the only way. Having said that, I think the move is worth it.
Ente Auth, for me, does everything Authy does while still offering a desktop client. I recommend it if you're still looking for an alternative..
