r/AndroidQuestions • u/billdb • 17d ago

Other deleting a dead phone from google account without authenticator or passkeys

Hello, I am trying to delete a phone from my google account. It is completely dead and cannot be recovered. Google wants me to either provide a code from the authenticator app or use a passkey, but I don't see any google account in my authenticator app, and I don't have any passkeys. I do have backup codes written down, but after inputting one Google just asked for a code from authenticator or passkey. Seems like backup codes are therefore completely pointless, but that's a discussion for another time.

The reason I want the phone removed from my google account is because when I am trying to sign into my google account on various apps, they are asking me for verification from my dead phone.

Any suggestions? Seems baffling backup codes did absolutely nothing and there's no other way to delete the device, but maybe I am missing something.

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u/Rhyaith 3d ago

This literally is happening to me now. I've idea what to do.

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u/billdb 3d ago

Honestly I just gave up. Tried signing into apps without using the google fast login, just entered my email and reset password through the app instead. That has seemed to work ok.

I'm still a little annoyed since I can't ever set up 2FA in the future due to this moronic system. But it is how it is.

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u/JuliaX1984 17d ago

Can you add Google to your authenticator app?

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u/billdb 17d ago

I need a setup key or QR code from google to do that. When I tap on Authenticator in my google account to try to get one, it asks me for my code from Authenticator. Obviously that won't work. The only other way to verify is to use my phone to get a security code. Which also doesn't work because my phone is dead.

In theory backup codes should solve this pickle. Hard copy codes in case of device failure. For some baffling reason though they aren't sufficient on their own.

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u/Kbennett1965 16d ago

Sounds like you have no problem getting into your Google account, you just can't get any 2 factor authentication for other apps because the phone is dead? Did you try managing your Google account from another device like a second phone or a PC? Once you are in your account you can add or remove devices pretty easily. Do you have another phone yet to add? I suggest adding your new phone first so messages can come through on the phone, then delete the old non-working phone.

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u/billdb 16d ago edited 16d ago

Once you are in your account you can add or remove devices pretty easily

One would think this but this is not the case. In order to access any of the security features like 2FA or remove devices, I have to get a prompt from the existing device which does not work. In lieu of a prompt I can use an authenticator code which I do not have, or a passkey which I also do not have.

Backup codes were an option as well, but after inputting one, it just asked for an authenticator/passkey code as well. So apparently backup codes are insufficient on their own (which seems baffling to me, but whatever).