Stake 2FA: how to switch from SMS to an authenticator app
By the Novaz team · Updated October 29, 2026
Novaz steps checked against version 1.0.5
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Stake is the investing platform for trading Wall St and ASX shares from Australia and New Zealand. You already have two-factor authentication (2FA) on your Stake account: during sign-up, Stake has you confirm your mobile number, and it texts you a code when you log in (Stake). What you can choose is the method. Stake recommends moving from text messages to an authenticator app, and once you do, your account stops using SMS for these codes (Stake).
This guide uses Authenticator App - Novaz on iPhone. Any authenticator app works the same way.
How we checked this guide: the Stake steps come from Stake's own support pages, linked below, which we read on October 22, 2026. We haven't tested them on a Stake account, so a label may differ slightly. The Novaz steps are checked against the app, version 1.0.5.
Why switch from SMS
Stake strongly recommends the authenticator app (Stake), especially if you travel overseas or texts don't reliably reach you (Stake, Stake). For the general tradeoff, see authenticator app vs SMS.
Turn on 2FA with an authenticator app
Stake's 2FA article gives these steps (Stake):
- Log in to your Stake account.
- In the Stake app, go to More > Settings > Security > 2FA Authenticator. On the web, go to Menu > Account > Security > Two-factor authentication.
- Stake shows a QR code and a 2FA key. In Novaz, tap +, then Scan QR code, and point the camera at the code. If the QR code is on the same iPhone, take a screenshot, tap +, then Choose a photo. See scanning a QR code on the same iPhone.
- If you'd rather copy the key, tap + in Novaz, then Enter key manually. Type Stake as the Service, your email as the Account if you like, and paste the key as the Setup key. See What is a 2FA setup key?
- Back in Stake, enter the 6-digit code Novaz shows to confirm.
Stake's pages don't agree on the menu names. Its article on changing your mobile number gives the app path as Manage > Settings > Account & settings > Security > Authenticator app (Stake). If you don't see More, look under Manage.
Where you'll need the code
Expect a code from Novaz when you log in, and when you do key things in your account, such as changing your personal details (Stake, Stake).
There's one place that's easy to miss: password resets. When you use Forgot password? in the app or Forgot my password on the web, Stake sends the reset code through whatever 2FA method you've set up. With an authenticator app, that means the code to type in the Reset code box comes from Novaz, not from a text or an email (Stake). Keep that in mind before you remove Stake from your phone.
No backup codes
Stake's support pages don't mention backup or recovery codes, and they don't describe a second method you can keep alongside the app. Unless you've backed up Novaz with iCloud backup or a backup file, your iPhone is the only place your Stake codes come from. Hold on to it, and know the support route below before you need it.
If Stake rejects your code
Stake's troubleshooting page suggests a few things when a login or 2FA code won't go through (Stake):
- Turn off any VPN and try again.
- Turn off ad blockers or browser extensions that might interfere with the code field.
- In the Stake app, force close it, reopen it, and update it from the App Store.
- Check that you're logging in with the email address that's linked to your account.
If you're not sure which method you set up, Stake suggests opening your authenticator app and looking for a Stake entry. After too many wrong tries, Stake locks the account for a while, and the page says to wait 15 minutes.
Also check your iPhone's clock: Settings > General > Date & Time > Set Automatically. Novaz warns you when the clock is 15 seconds or more off. More causes are in Authenticator code not working?
Changing phones
Stake's help doesn't describe how to move the authenticator to a new phone. In Novaz, iCloud backup or a backup file lets you restore your accounts on the new iPhone, Stake included, with the same codes. Without one, keep your old iPhone working until Stake is set up on the new one, and ask Stake support how to switch the authenticator over if the security settings don't make it clear. See How to transfer your authenticator app to a new iPhone.
If you lose your authenticator
Contact Stake as soon as you can. Its 2FA article covers disabling 2FA only for this case, and support handles it: the team confirms the account is yours, then gets you logged back in (Stake). You can reach it two ways:
- by phone on +61 2 8294 6149, Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm Sydney time, except non-trading days (Stake), or
- through the Stake contact form.
Stake doesn't say what proof it asks for or how long this takes. More in Lost the phone with your authenticator app?
