The article examines whether people should store two-factor authentication codes in a password manager or use a separate authenticator app. Password managers offer convenience by keeping passwords and codes together, while authenticator apps provide greater separation between the two security factors, making the choice a balance between ease of use and maximum isolation.

Password managers can autofill codes, synchronise them across devices, provide encrypted backups if a phone is lost, and simplify account sharing. However, a compromised master password, keylogger or malicious browser extension could expose both factors at once; standalone authenticator apps reduce that risk and often work offline, but require manually entering codes and may be less practical when a phone is unavailable.