Google Authenticator adds new features and a complete redesign

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Mojahid Mottakin)

Google’s very own Authenticator app for Android has received a major update introducing several new features and a complete Material You redesign.

Google Authenticator has now added a search bar for perusing all of your accounts, as well as a privacy screen that will automatically lock the App when not in use - either immediately or after a set amount of time.

The Google Authenticator app previously introduced a feature that prevents users from taking screenshots of the app.

New Material You UI

Google Authenticator 7.0 has also received a major redesign, with the hamburger menu and account switcher now being housed within a pill-shaped button at the top of the app. User experience features, such as the ‘how it works’ guide, Settings and Help & Feedback buttons, have been moved into the navigation drawer.

Additionally, the QR code scanner has received a major UI overhaul, introducing a new flash option for scanning QR codes in low light conditions. This is powered by the Google Play services, and does not save any data, with Authenticator stating that “No image data will be shared, only the scan results. Scanning is performed on your device and Google will not save any image data or the scanned codes.”

These new updates were added to the iOS app for iPhone and iPad earlier in the year, while version 7.0 of Google Authenticator for Android has not been made fully available through the Play Store just yet.

Google Authenticator previously received criticism for not end-to-end encrypting the apps traffic, allowing for the possibility of one-time codes to be generated by intercepting traffic and stealing 2FA seeds.

Via 9to5Google

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Benedict has been writing about security issues for over 7 years, first focusing on geopolitics and international relations while at the University of Buckingham. During this time he studied BA Politics with Journalism, for which he received a second-class honours (upper division), then continuing his studies at a postgraduate level, achieving a distinction in MA Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy. Upon joining TechRadar Pro as a Staff Writer, Benedict transitioned his focus towards cybersecurity, exploring state-sponsored threat actors, malware, social engineering, and national security. Benedict is also an expert on B2B security products, including firewalls, antivirus, endpoint security, and password management.