Android Messages now makes it really easy to copy two-factor codes

Google is rolling out a small but helpful upgrade to Android Messages: the ability to copy two-factor authentication codes with a single tap, right from a notification.

If you use two-factor authentication to secure your accounts, you’re probably used to this process: type in your password, wait for a text messaged code to arrive, memorize the code, and then type it back into the login prompt. It’s a bit of a pain. But if you use Android Messages and are logging into an app or website on your phone, it’s about to get a bit easier.

Left: before the update; right: the update adds the “copy” prompt automatically.

In the new update, Messages will detect if you’re receiving a two-factor authentication code. When it does, it’ll add an option to the notification to copy the code, saving a step. The app update is still rolling out — we were able to try it out by downloading the APK via Android Police — but it should be available soon if you’re not seeing it yet.

Google isn’t the first company to figure out this feature — Xiaomi and other Chinese phone companies have offered the ability to copy codes from a notification for a while. But the wider this rolls out, the better. It’s a real convenience for people who have two-factor set up on a lot of their accounts. (And really, you should, as it makes your accounts a lot more secure.)

It’s worth mentioning that receiving a two-factor code from a text message isn’t the most secure way of locking down your account — it’s possible for the code to be intercepted. But it’s the option that most sites offer, and it’s still better than just the standard username and password.