Use Twilio Authy Desktop app for secure log in? You have less than a month to update your 2FA

2FA, or two-factor authentication, is how many of us log into our favorite sites and apps with the peace of mind that there's a second layer of security beyond a simple (or complex) password.

Twilio Authy is one of the most popular 2FA authentication apps and services; however, if you're using the Twilio Authy Desktop on Windows, macOS, or Linux, you definitely want to jump to the Android or iOS app as soon as possible. Like other 2FA services, the Twilio Authy app generates codes every 30 seconds for additional log-in authentication.

As of March 19, 2024, the Twilio Authy Desktop apps will reach their End-of-Life (EOL) - a date brought forward from the previously scheduled cut-off in August 2024. Once this date hits, the desktop apps will cease to function.

And without an export feature for tokens (the method of connecting an app or service), it's not a case of simply being able to fire up the mobile app and pick up where you left off - unless you've enabled Authy Backups.

Twilio offers this guide for users who want to enable Authy Backups and sync them across multiple devices. If you're using the desktop version, you must ensure this is enabled and backed up before the EOL date. Either way, all Twilio Authy Desktop app users have a month to switch to the mobile app and a different 2FA service or disable 2FA on all their online accounts to ensure they can still access things.

Naturally, Twilio Authy users are upset because it represented the only desktop 2FA solution, with most 2FA services (including those from Google and Apple) requiring a mobile device or smartphone. When Twilio made the announcement, giving its users a little over a month to make significant changes to how they log into online services, many were caught off guard and disappointed by the news.

After posting the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), many expressed a similar sentiment - that being, the only reason they used Twilio Authy was because it offered a desktop solution. And without a proper explanation for it reaching EOL, there's a sense of betrayal.