Get started: install and add your first account

Install Popout Authenticator and add accounts from a QR code, a link, or by typing the secret.

Demo accounts only.

What it is

Popout Authenticator is a browser extension that makes two-factor (2FA) codes for your accounts. It is open source under the MIT license.

You open it from the toolbar, from a separate window, or from a side panel, and copy or fill the code when a site asks for it.

Install and pin the icon

Go to the home page and use the store button for your browser.
Add the extension in the store, then confirm the browser's prompt.
Pin the Popout Authenticator icon so it stays on the toolbar. Where this is depends on your browser: look for the puzzle-piece or extensions menu next to the address bar and choose the pin option.

Open it for the first time

Click the toolbar icon. With no accounts yet, you see "Add your first account." and an "Add account" button.

The header has these buttons: "Add" (+), "Pop out", "Lock now" or "Lock settings", and "Settings". You use "Add" from now on. To see how the popup, the separate window, and the side panel differ, read Popup, separate window, and side panel.

Ways to add an account

Select + ("Add") to open a small menu with three items: "Add account", "Find QR on screen", and "Read QR with camera". "Add account" opens a screen with four tabs.

Method	Where	Use it when
Find QR on screen	+ menu	The site shows its QR code in a browser tab.
Read QR with camera	+ menu	The QR code is on another screen or on paper.
QR code	"Add account" tab	You have a QR image file, a screenshot, or a copied image.
Links	"Add account" tab	You have one or more otpauth links.
Manual	"Add account" tab	The site only shows a text secret key.
Backup file	"Add account" tab	You are moving accounts from another app.

Add from a QR code

A QR code on the screen

Open the site's 2FA setup page so the QR code is visible in the tab.
Select + → "Find QR on screen". A capture page opens with your screenshot.
Drag a box around the QR code. If it can't be read, you see "No QR code found. Drag over the QR code again."

The camera

Select + → "Read QR with camera". From the toolbar popup, a small window opens first.
Allow the camera when the browser asks. If you refused before, you see "Camera access is blocked. Allow it in the browser settings."
Hold the QR code up to the camera. If a Google Authenticator export is split across several QR codes, scan each one; the progress shows as "2 of 3 codes".
Select "Stop camera" when you are done.

An image or the clipboard

Select + → "Add account" → the "QR code" tab.
Paste an image with Ctrl+V (Command+V on a Mac), drag an image onto the box, or select "Choose QR code images". You can pick several images.

If the image isn't an authenticator code, you see "Not an authenticator QR code."

A QR code contains your secret key. Delete screenshots when you are done.

Add from an otpauth link

Select + → "Add account" → the "Links" tab.
Under "Paste one link per line.", paste the links, one per line. A link looks like otpauth://totp/Acme%20Mail:alex@example.com?secret=JBSWY3DPEHPK3PXP&issuer=Acme%20Mail.
Select "Import".

Google Authenticator export links (otpauth-migration://) work here too. Up to 500 links are read at a time. You can also paste a single otpauth link into any text box on the "Manual" tab, and the form fills itself in.

Type the secret key

Select + → "Add account" → the "Manual" tab.
Fill in "Service name" (for example, Acme Mail), "Account name" (for example, alex@example.com), and "Secret key" (for example, JBSWY3DPEHPK3PXP).
Select "Save".

If the key can't be read, you see "The secret key format is not valid." Check for typos.

Type, algorithm, digits, and period

Most sites work with the defaults. Change these only if the site tells you to, or if the codes don't match.

Field	Choices	Notes
Authentication type	TOTP, HOTP, Steam, Battle.net	TOTP is the default. Steam and Battle.net have fixed settings, so the next three fields are hidden.
Algorithm	SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-512	Default: SHA-1.
Digits	6 to 10	Default: 6. A whole number is required.
Period (seconds)	1 to 3600	Default: 30. TOTP only.
Counter	0 or more	HOTP only. A new code is made each time you refresh it.

Duplicates and checking codes

After you add accounts, a message tells you what happened, for example "Added 2 accounts." Select "Done" to go on.

An account that already exists (same type and same secret key) is skipped: "Skipped 2 accounts that already exist." Nothing is overwritten.
Items that can't be read are listed under "Could not add 2 items."
If a code doesn't match the one in your old app, select "Codes not matching?" → "Check settings" and pick the algorithm and digits that give the same code.

1.0.1 From version 1.0.1, the file picker on the "Backup file" tab also offers .2fas files.

Change a name later

On the account row, select the ⋯ button, or right-click the row.
Select "Edit".
Change "Service name" or "Account name", then select "Save".

The same screen has the group, a note, and the site address list. See Popup, separate window, and side panel for groups and the important mark.

Next steps

Lock and protect your accounts with a password.
Back up and sync so you don't lose your accounts.
Fill codes into sign-in pages.
Coming from another app? See the original Authenticator extension or Authy and other apps.