Reviewed guide | 2026-10-09
Switching your Bitget account from SMS codes to an authenticator app
SMS codes depend on your phone number, which can be hijacked. How to move your Bitget account to an authenticator app or passkey in the right order, with backups that prevent a lockout.
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Text message codes were the default for years, and many Bitget accounts still rely on them. The weakness is that they depend on your mobile number, and numbers can be moved to another SIM through social engineering at a carrier. Once that happens, every code goes to someone else. Authenticator apps and passkeys avoid this problem entirely. Making the switch is quick, but the order of the steps matters, because removing the old method too early is the most common way people lock themselves out.
Choose your authenticator and prepare
Pick a reputable authenticator app or decide to use a passkey stored on your device or password manager. Before changing anything, confirm that your current SMS codes arrive reliably and that you can sign in. Have a pen and paper ready for backup codes. If you plan to use a password manager for passkeys, check that its own account has a strong password and two-factor protection switched on.
Bind the new method and test it
In the Bitget security settings, follow the steps to add an authenticator. You will typically scan a code with the app and enter a generated code to confirm. Write down the backup key shown during setup and store it away from your phone. Then sign out completely and sign back in using the new method. Only when that works should you consider changing anything else about your verification settings.
Decide what to do with SMS
Once the authenticator works, read in the help centre what options exist for SMS on your account. Even if you keep a phone number registered for contact, relying on the authenticator for logins and withdrawals removes the main SIM-swap risk. Make sure the phone number on file is still yours, because some recovery steps may use it, and ask your carrier whether they offer a port-out PIN or similar protection.
Plan for losing the phone
An authenticator lives on your phone, so think ahead. Keep the backup key on paper in a secure place, and consider adding a passkey as a second strong method. When you upgrade your phone, move the authenticator while the old device still works. If the phone is lost unexpectedly, use your backup key to restore access, then remove the lost device from your account straight away.
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Scenario checkpoint
- Confirm your current SMS codes work and that you can sign in before changing any settings.
- Write the authenticator backup key on paper during setup and store it away from your phone.
- Sign out and back in with the authenticator to prove it works before changing SMS options.
- Ask your mobile carrier about a port-out PIN to make SIM-swap attempts harder to complete.
Digital assets are volatile and derivatives can amplify losses. This website has no login, wallet connection, deposit form or customer-support chat.