Using an authenticator app on your iPad

An iPad is an underrated place to keep your two-factor codes: the screen is big enough to read at arm's length, and it's usually at home rather than in a pocket — which makes it a useful second device if your phone goes missing.

Setting it up

1. Install Authenticator App - Novaz on the iPad.
2. Sign in to the same iCloud account you use on your iPhone.
3. Turn on sync — see syncing across your Apple devices.

Your accounts appear automatically, and both devices show the same 6-digit code at the same time, because codes are calculated from time, not fetched.

Why a second device is worth it

The most common way people lose account access isn't hacking — it's a lost, stolen, or broken phone. Having the same accounts on an iPad means you're not relying on a single point of failure. It doesn't replace an encrypted backup or each service's recovery codes, but it's a fast safety net.

If the worst does happen, what to do if you lose your phone walks through the order to work in.

Keep it locked

A shared family iPad is exactly the device that gets left unlocked on a kitchen table. Turn on App Lock with Face ID, Touch ID, or a PIN so the codes aren't visible to whoever picks it up.

Adding accounts from the iPad

You can add accounts directly here too — either scan the QR code with the iPad camera, or, when you're setting 2FA up on the same screen you're reading, enter the setup key by hand.