What should I do if I’ve activated 2FA, but lost access to the authentication app or it is not working?

There are several common issues that can arise when logging in using two-factor authentication. Depending on the problem, it is often still possible to restore your access to your mail.com account. Please see the questions below for more details:

What if I can’t access the computer, smartphone or authenticator app?
If you no longer have access to the device you need for the multi authentication factor or cannot use the authentication app for other reasons, you will need to deactivate 2-factor authentication using the secret key generated during setup. Please initiate the password recovery process for your GMX account. As part of this process, you will be asked to enter your secret key. This will deactivate 2FA, and you will be able to log in to your account without providing the six-digit authenticator code.
Why doesn't the one-time password (OTP) from my authenticator app work?
To log in using the 2-step authentication process, you must enter your password and a one-time password. This is a confirmation code generated by an authentication app, also called an OTP app, on your smartphone or other device.

To ensure security, the confirmation code generated by the authentication app expires after a short period of time. If you are unable to log in with the code, it may have already expired. The app automatically generates a new code that you can use if you were not able to enter the previously displayed code on time.

For other problems when using third-party authentication app, please see the service provider's help pages for assistance. A selection of free OTP apps and their help pages can be found under Security.

What if I forget my mail.com account password and I have 2fa enabled?
If you forget the password for your mail.com email account, you can use our password recovery process to reset it. Go to Recover Your Password and follow the instructions there. After carrying out the password recovery process, you will need to enter the secret key that was created during setup of two-factor authentication. 2FA will then be deactivated so you can save a new password. Following this step, you can reactivate your 2-factor authentication.
What if I lost my secret key for two-factor authentication?
If you did not print your secret key or have lost the printout, check if the document is saved in the download folder of your computer. If it is not there, you may also have saved it in a different place on your computer. Try using the Windows File Explorer or Mac Finder search function to locate the document.

If you cannot find the secret key, you can contact our customer support to see if it is possible to deactivate 2FA. However, please keep in mind that two-factor authentication is an account security feature and therefore cannot be instantly switched off. A stringent verification process is required, and is not always successful.

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