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Novaz AuthenticatorGET

Huawei Cloud 2FA: how to set up an authenticator app

By the Novaz team · Updated October 29, 2026
Novaz steps checked against version 1.0.5

On this page
  1. Check your account type first
  2. Bind an authenticator app
  3. Make sign-in ask for the code
  4. No backup codes
  5. If Huawei Cloud rejects your code
  6. Changing phones
  7. If you lose your authenticator
  8. Turning it off
  9. Official Huawei Cloud help

Huawei Cloud is Huawei's public cloud, where you run and pay for servers, storage and databases. Its docs call an authenticator app a virtual MFA device. It's optional: you can also verify sign-ins by SMS, email or a security key (Huawei Cloud, Huawei Cloud). Two things stand out. Linking the app takes two codes in a row, and Huawei Cloud mentions no backup codes. This guide uses Authenticator App - Novaz on iPhone, but any authenticator app works the same way.

How we checked this guide: the Huawei Cloud steps come from Huawei Cloud's own help pages, linked below, which we read on October 20, 2026. We haven't tested them on a Huawei Cloud account, so a label may differ slightly. The Novaz steps are checked against the app, version 1.0.5.

Check your account type first

If you've upgraded your Huawei Cloud account to a HUAWEI ID, the authenticator is managed in the HUAWEI ID account center, not in the console (Huawei Cloud). To tell, hover over your account name at the top right of the console and open your account details: HUAWEI ID Information means a HUAWEI ID, Account Information a plain Huawei Cloud account (Huawei Cloud). The steps below are for a Huawei Cloud account. IAM users follow the same steps.

Bind an authenticator app

From Huawei Cloud's user guide, updated September 23, 2026 (Huawei Cloud):

  1. In the console, hover over your username at the top right and choose Security Settings (Huawei Cloud).
  2. On the Critical Operations tab, click Bind in the Virtual MFA Device row.
  3. Type a device name using only letters, digits, hyphens and underscores, and click Next.
  4. In Novaz, tap +, then Scan QR code, and scan the code Huawei Cloud shows. On the same iPhone, take a screenshot and use Choose a photo instead (how).
  5. Can't scan? Copy the secret key. In Novaz, tap +, then Enter key manually, and paste it into Setup key (what's a setup key).
  6. On the Bind Virtual MFA Device page, enter the code from Novaz, wait for it to change, enter the next one too, and click OK.

The codes are 6 digits and change every 30 seconds, as in Novaz. Huawei Cloud doesn't say how long the key is, so scanning is safer. You get one virtual MFA device per account or IAM user (Huawei Cloud).

Make sign-in ask for the code

Look at the Login Protection row on the same tab. If it's off, click Enable, select Enable, choose the virtual MFA device as the method, enter a code and click OK (Huawei Cloud). For IAM users, only an administrator can switch this on; if it requires an authenticator you haven't added, a Login Verification box asks you to Bind one at sign-in (Huawei Cloud).

HUAWEI ID: the Bind button takes you to the HUAWEI ID account center. Link an authenticator under Account & security in the Security verification area, then turn on Two-step verification (Huawei Cloud). Huawei Cloud doesn't show those screens in detail.

Besides sign-in, operation protection is on by default and asks for a code before critical operations, such as deleting a cloud server. One check covers the next 15 minutes (Huawei Cloud).

No backup codes

The only second way in that Huawei Cloud documents is a security key: you can add up to eight alongside the app and choose either at sign-in (Huawei Cloud). That doesn't apply to a HUAWEI ID's root user, which can use only a phone number, email or authenticator (Huawei Cloud). Huawei warns that deleting the app loses the codes (Huawei Cloud). Unless a Novaz backup holds this account, the key exists only on your iPhone, so don't remove Huawei Cloud from Novaz before unbinding it.

If Huawei Cloud rejects your code

Huawei Cloud's FAQ names expired codes, a code from a different account (check the name above it), and an old entry left in the app after binding again: delete it and add the account fresh (Huawei Cloud). It also fails codes when the phone's clock is more than 30 seconds off. Fix that in Settings > General > Date & Time > Set Automatically. Novaz warns you at 15 seconds. More in Authenticator code not working?

Changing phones

You unbind and bind again, which needs the old phone. On the Critical Operations tab, click Unbind in the Virtual MFA Device row, enter a code and click OK (Huawei Cloud). If login protection stays on, your next sign-in asks you to bind a device, so have the new phone ready (Huawei Cloud). For a HUAWEI ID, the button next to Authenticator is Disassociate in the user guide and UNLINK in the FAQ, so labels may differ (Huawei Cloud). With a Novaz iCloud backup or backup file, you can restore your accounts on the new iPhone instead of unbinding; see moving to a new iPhone.

If you lose your authenticator

  • IAM user: your administrator removes it in the IAM console: Users, Security Settings next to your name, then Remove in the Virtual MFA Device row (Huawei Cloud).
  • Account owner: call customer service on the free hotline the guide gives, 4000-955-988, and send the materials it asks for. Once approved, it removes the device. The English sentence is cut off; the Chinese version says this applies to HUAWEI IDs too (Huawei Cloud). For root user concerns, Huawei Cloud also lists a service ticket and 950808 (Huawei Cloud).

Huawei Cloud doesn't list the materials or say how long approval takes. See Lost the phone with your authenticator app?

Turning it off

Click Change in the Login Protection row, select Disable and click OK. For a HUAWEI ID, use Disable under Two-step verification in the account center (Huawei Cloud). Unbinding the app alone leaves login protection on.

Official Huawei Cloud help

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