Battle.net Authenticator on a lost phone? How to get back in

Your phone fell in a lake, got stolen, or you wiped it for a trade-in and forgot one thing: the Battle.net Authenticator lived on it. Now Battle.net wants a code from an app you no longer have, and your Overwatch, WoW and Diablo access is stuck behind it. A lost phone with the Battle.net Authenticator on it is annoying, but it is usually fixable.

The way back depends on two things: whether you saved your Serial Number and Restore Code, and whether the phone number on your Battle.net account still reaches you. This guide walks through each case using what Blizzard Support says, in the order you should try them.

First, figure out which situation you are in

Before you click anything, answer these three questions. They decide which path below is yours.

1. Do you have the Serial Number and Restore Code from when you set up the Authenticator? Blizzard recommends saving a screenshot of both at setup, so check your photos, old screenshots and any notes.
2. Does the phone number on your Battle.net account still work? Blizzard sends SMS verification codes to the number linked to the account, not to whatever number you have today.
3. Can you still sign in at all, for example on a PC where you are already logged in or where the Authenticator is not being asked for?

If the answer to the first question is yes, you are in the best spot. If only the second is yes, SMS can still get you out. If both are no, you will be going through Blizzard Support, which is slower but is the official route.

Do not install some "Authenticator recovery" tool or answer a DM offering to remove it for you. The only places that can remove a Battle.net Authenticator are your own account security settings and Blizzard Support.

Path 1: You saved the Serial Number and Restore Code

This is exactly what the Restore Code exists for. Blizzard describes restoring the Authenticator on a new device using the Serial Number and Restore Code, or with SMS verification instead.

1. Install the official Battle.net Authenticator app on your new phone from your phone's app store.
2. Use the app's restore option for an existing Authenticator instead of setting up a brand new one.
3. Enter the Serial Number and Restore Code you saved, or choose SMS verification if that is offered and your account number still works.
4. Sign in to Battle.net and confirm the new phone now approves logins or shows a working security code.

One thing to know: Blizzard ties each Serial Number to a single mobile device and does not support running the same Serial Number on more than one device. Restoring moves the Authenticator to the new phone. It is not a way to have it on two phones at once.

If the restore fails even with the right codes, Blizzard has a support article specifically for being unable to restore with the Serial Number and Restore Code or SMS, and it points you to contact support. Skip ahead to Path 3.

Path 2: No codes saved, but your phone number still works

Plenty of people never saved the Restore Code. If your Battle.net account has phone notifications set up and the number still reaches you (for example, you kept your number and just lost the handset), SMS is your way out.

1. On the Battle.net login screen, click "Can't Log In". Blizzard says this is where to start when you no longer have access to your old device.
2. Follow the prompts for your Authenticator and verify your identity by SMS. The code goes to the phone number linked to your account.
3. Once verified, the old Authenticator is removed from the account.
4. Set the Authenticator up fresh on your new phone and attach it to your account again.

The catch: if you changed your phone number since you added it to Battle.net, the SMS goes to the old number. Blizzard says you need to update the account phone number before you can restore the Authenticator. You can change it on the Account Details page by verifying with an Authenticator code, an SMS code or an email code. If you cannot sign in to do that, Blizzard points you to the Account Recovery Tool first, and notes that support staff cannot add a phone number to your account for you.

If you still had access to your old SIM but not the phone, put the SIM in any working phone just long enough to receive the code. That is often the quickest fix of all.

Path 3: No codes and no working number

This is the hard one, but it is not the end. Blizzard's guidance is straightforward: if you cannot verify through SMS, contact customer support to remove the old Authenticator. If you cannot log in at all, first try to recover the account, and if that does not work, support can help remove the Authenticator.

• Go through Blizzard Support from the official Blizzard or Battle.net site. Start from "Can't Log In" so you land in the right flow.
• Expect to prove the account is yours. Have the account email, your BattleTag and any purchase receipts you can find ready to go.
• Use only official Blizzard pages and replies. Real support will not ask for your password over chat or through a link someone sends you.
• Be patient. Removing a security feature on someone's word is exactly what attackers want, so support has to be careful.

If you think the phone was stolen and someone is actually inside your account, treat it as a hacked account instead. Our guide on how to recover a hacked Battle.net account covers securing your PC and filing the recovery ticket.

If you can still sign in, fix it now

Maybe you are still logged in on your PC, or you are reading this before getting a new phone. Good. Clean up now while it is easy.

1. Open your Battle.net account settings and go to the security options.
2. Use Detach Authenticator. Blizzard requires a security check, which can be an SMS code to your phone or a security code from the Authenticator itself.
3. Make sure the phone number on the account is one you will keep. Update it on Account Details if not.
4. Set the Authenticator up on the new phone, then save the new Serial Number and Restore Code the moment they appear.

If the old phone is still around and only being replaced, Blizzard also describes getting a new serial: note the old Serial Number and Restore Code, remove the current Authenticator from your account, use the "Need a New Serial Number?" option under About in the app, then attach the new serial to your account.

Never get stuck like this again

Almost every locked out Battle.net story comes down to one missing note. The Restore Code was shown once, nobody saved it, and the phone number on the account went stale. Here is the short list to keep for your Blizzard account:

• Your login email and BattleTag (they are not the same thing).
• A unique password. Our password generator makes one in your browser.
• The Authenticator Serial Number and Restore Code, saved somewhere that is not the phone they protect.
• Which phone number is on the account, and a reminder to update it if you change numbers.
• Notes support might ask about, like when you made the account and which games are on it.

A screenshot in your camera roll is better than nothing, but it disappears with the phone, which is the exact disaster it is meant to cover. Keep the codes somewhere separate and encrypted. That is what LoginScout is for: each account is one card with the login, password, recovery email, 2FA details and notes, encrypted on your device. Your Battle.net card can hold the Serial Number and Restore Code right next to the login. It works as a gaming password manager for every launcher you use, and if you want to see how six digit codes work behind the scenes, try the 2FA code generator.

The short version

Saved the Restore Code? Restore the Authenticator on your new phone. No code but your number still works? Use "Can't Log In" and verify by SMS, updating the account number first if it changed. Neither? Try account recovery, then contact Blizzard Support to remove the old Authenticator. Then save the new codes somewhere that will survive your next phone. You can create a free vault for up to five accounts in about a minute.