Save and use your recovery codes

Overview

Recovery codes let you sign in if you lose access to your authenticator app and passkeys. Essential Support generates ten one-time codes the first time you turn on two-factor authentication, and shows them to you exactly once.

Save your codes when they’re first generated

1. Recovery codes are generated automatically the first time you set up an authenticator app or add a passkey — see Turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app or Sign in with a passkey.
2. When they appear, a “Save your recovery codes” panel lists all ten codes.
3. Click Copy to copy all ten codes to your clipboard, then paste them somewhere safe — a password manager is the best place.
4. Once you’ve stored them, click I’ve saved them to dismiss the panel.

Use a code to sign in

1. Request your sign-in link as usual and click it.
2. When prompted for your second factor, enter one of your unused recovery codes in place of an authenticator code.
3. Each code works exactly once — cross it off your saved list after you use it.

Generate a new set of codes

1. Go to Settings → Profile → Security.
2. Under Recovery codes, click Regenerate.
3. Enter a current authenticator code, passkey confirmation, or an unused recovery code to confirm.
4. Click Regenerate again; your new set of ten codes replaces the old set immediately — your previous codes stop working.
5. Save the new codes the same way as above.

Good to know

• The Recovery codes section only appears under Settings → Profile → Security once two-factor authentication is already on — there’s nothing to see there beforehand.
• If you lose your recovery codes and your authenticator app or passkeys, ask your workspace owner or an admin to reset your two-factor authentication from Settings → Agents (see Turn off or reset two-factor authentication) — you’ll re-enroll from scratch.

Related articles

See also Turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app and Turn off or reset two-factor authentication.