Moving Duo Mobile to a New Phone

Applies to: CRL staff getting a new or replacement phone  |  Category: Identity & Access  |  Est. time: 15 minutes

When you switch phones, you need to move your Duo Mobile accounts — including the one that authenticates your CRL sign-in — to the new device. The recommended method is Duo Restore, which backs up your accounts to your cloud account (iCloud or Google) and restores them on the new phone. Full Duo reference: Duo Restore guide.

Do this before you wipe, trade in, or return your old phone. Duo Restore relies on a backup created on the old device. Once you restore or reactivate your CRL (Duo-protected) account on the new phone, it is automatically deactivated on the old phone — so finish the move in one sitting.

Step 1 — Turn on Duo Restore (on your OLD phone)

Make sure you’re running the latest Duo Mobile app, then enable backup for your platform:

iPhone (iOS)

Backup is automatic as long as iCloud Backup and iCloud Keychain are turned on (Settings > your name > iCloud). Nightly iCloud backups then include your Duo Restore data — there’s no toggle inside Duo Mobile for this.

Android

1. Open your device Settings > Google > Backup, and make sure backup (including Other device data) is on. Your phone needs a PIN, pattern, or password lock.
2. Open Duo Mobile > Settings > Duo Instant Restore to confirm backup is active.

Step 2 — Restore on your NEW phone

First install Duo Mobile — be sure it’s the app published by Duo Security LLC:

iPhone — App Store  •  Android — Google Play

iPhone (iOS)

1. Set up the new iPhone and restore it from your iCloud backup (with iCloud Keychain enabled).
2. Open Duo Mobile and tap Continue on the welcome screen. Your Duo-protected accounts are located and restored automatically.
3. Duo sends a “new device” push to your old phone. Since you initiated the move, tap Yes to confirm — this deactivates the account on the old phone. (If you did not initiate it, tap No, which alerts IT to possible fraud.)

Android

1. During new-device setup, sign in to your Google account and choose to restore your previous backup.
2. Install and open Duo Mobile — it locates your backup and restores your accounts.
3. If it doesn’t restore automatically, tap I have existing accounts, select your Google account, then follow the prompt to scan a QR code displayed in Duo Mobile on your old phone (Settings > Connect a new phone > View QR code).

Step 3 — Re-do Windows Offline login (CRL PC users)

Duo Restore does not carry over Windows Offline access. If you use a CRL-H PC or laptop, you must set up Windows Offline login again on your new phone. If a restored Windows Offline token appears in Duo Mobile after the migration, delete it first, then reactivate.

Follow Step 3 (Windows Offline setup) in the DUO Mobile Setup for CRL-H Login article to create a fresh offline token. Duo’s reference: Microsoft Windows Logon — offline access.

Don’t have your old phone?

If your old phone is lost, damaged, or already wiped — or Duo Restore isn’t available — your CRL account must be reactivated rather than restored. If self-service is enabled, use My Settings & Devices from the Duo prompt. Otherwise, submit a request to the CRL IT team and we’ll reactivate it for you.

Third-party accounts (Google, Microsoft personal, etc.)

Personal (non-CRL) accounts you’ve added to Duo Mobile only transfer if you set a recovery password before backing up. Without it, you’ll re-add each one through that service’s own 2FA setup. See Third-Party Accounts.

Need help?

If anything doesn’t transfer or you can’t sign in, submit a request to the CRL IT team.

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© CRL Technologies, Inc. — Internal IT Knowledge Base. For CRL staff use only.