Ask HN: How do you start over with 2FA after losing your phone?

I left my iPhone in a cab in Costa Rica by mistake. I may as well have thrown it into a volcano.

I have 2FA set up on three dozen different and important online accounts, and it's all through the Google Authenticator app on that iPhone.

Is there a recommended way to go about this problem?

Or have I locked myself out of my entire life?

Use your backup codes that you've downloaded and safe-kept somewhere (you did this right?). If not, I'm afraid you're out of luck.

There are two possible outcomes from contacting support for a service, asking to regain control over a 2FA-protected account, both which sucks, but on different levels.

1. You write them, proving who you are, and they tell you to get lost unless you have the 2FA proper codes, or backup codes. This sucks because you still didn't get access.

2. You write them, proving who you are, and they give you access to your account, so you can reset 2FA. This sucks because this means the service is not secure and you/others can be "hacked" because customer support can be exploited.

This same thing happened to me with Discord once, I just wrote to them and filed a complaint saying my account got "hacked" and that the hacker changed the 2fa mobile number.

With adequate proof and justification I think you should be able to get back your accounts, that is if your service does allow you to get back your account. One tip is to have multiple phones for 2fa and then just not using the other phone, if you don't use it how can you lose it? (that's what I did since I lost it once).

Using an auth app that supports encryted cloud backups, like bitwarden, ms auth, etc

The solid way to do it is to have a backup, like another second factor enrolled and stored in a safe place. Or to have recovery codes.

Without those options, now that you lost the only second factor, you have to reach out and convince the service providers that you're you. Good luck.