Setting up a backup phone for exchange apps and authenticators in Ukraine
For many people in Ukraine, a single phone holds everything: banking, messaging, exchange apps and the authenticator that protects them. Losing that phone, having it damaged, or being unable to charge it for days is not a rare scenario. A backup device turns a crisis into an inconvenience. It does not need to be new or expensive; an older smartphone that still receives security updates is enough. What matters is that it is set up correctly in advance and kept somewhere separate from your main phone.
Choose and prepare the device
Pick a phone that still gets operating system updates and reset it to factory settings so no old apps or accounts remain. Set a strong screen lock that is different from your main phone's. Sign in with your app store account, update the system, and install only what you need: the authenticator app, the exchange apps you use and your password manager. Avoid installing games or other apps on this device; the fewer apps, the smaller the risk.
Install the genuine exchange apps
Search for each exchange by name in the App Store or Google Play and check the developer name and download count before installing. Do not use links from messages or social media posts. Open each app once and sign in to confirm it works, completing any device verification the exchange requires. You can then sign out if you prefer the device to hold no active sessions, keeping it ready for use only when needed.
Add a second factor that works without the main phone
The backup phone is only useful if it can pass the second-factor check on its own. Add a passkey on it for each exchange that supports passkeys, or set up the authenticator with the same entries, either by transferring them or by enrolling new codes where the exchange allows several. Test logging in to each exchange from the backup phone alone, with the main phone switched off, and write down which ones succeeded.
Keep it charged, separate and reviewed
Store the backup phone in a different place from your main one, with a power bank if outages are likely. Charge it and install updates once a month, which is also a good moment to open each exchange app and check the login still works. If the device is ever lost, remove its passkeys and sessions from each exchange's security page straight away. Keep a short paper note of which exchanges and email accounts the phone can access.
Risk boundary: Ukraine Crypto Guide
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Scenario checkpoint
- Use a factory-reset phone that still receives security updates, with its own screen lock.
- Install exchange apps from the App Store or Google Play after checking the developer name.
- Add a passkey or authenticator entry that works on the backup phone alone.
- Test each login with the main phone switched off and note the results.
- Store the device separately, charge and update it monthly, and remove it promptly if lost.