Getting Started with FactorCat

FactorCat has three pieces that work together: a mobile app (where your secrets live), a browser extension (where auto-fill happens), and a web dashboard (where you manage everything). You can start from any of them.

Three ways to start

App first (recommended for most people)

1. Download FactorCat on your phone (iOS or Android)
2. Sign in with Google, Apple, or email — your account is created automatically
3. Add your first factor by scanning a QR code or entering the secret manually
4. Install the browser extension for Chrome or Firefox — it links to your phone automatically when you sign in with the same account

This is the fastest path to the full experience: phone push notifications, browser auto-fill, and cloud sync across devices.

Extension first (for desktop power users)

1. Install the FactorCat extension for Chrome or Firefox
2. Sign in to create your account
3. The extension will prompt you to pair your phone — scan the QR code with the FactorCat mobile app

Start here if you spend most of your time in the browser and want to see auto-fill working before you invest time adding all your factors.

Web first (for evaluators)

1. Sign up at app.factorcat.com
2. Explore the dashboard — see vault management, account settings, and the token list
3. Pair your phone and install the extension when you’re ready

Good for getting a feel for the product before committing to the full setup.

All paths converge

No matter which way you start, you’ll end up in the same place: phone and browser paired, factors synced, and auto-fill ready to go.

What each piece does

Phone app — where your secrets live

The mobile app is the source of truth for your 2FA factors. It stores your TOTP secrets (in Cloud Vault or Locked Vault), generates codes, and handles approval notifications. When the browser extension needs a code, your phone is what approves the request.

Browser extension — the auto-fill surface

The extension detects MFA input fields on websites, matches them to your factors by domain, and sends a push notification to your phone. After you approve, the code fills in automatically. The extension never stores your TOTP secrets — it only receives the computed 6-digit code after approval. Available for Chrome and Firefox.

Web dashboard — management and settings

The web dashboard lets you manage factor metadata (names, domains, display names), configure vault settings, view linked devices, and handle account settings. It’s also where you manage shared factors and view approval history (Pro).

Your first factor in 60 seconds

1. Open the FactorCat mobile app
2. Tap + to add a new factor
3. Scan the QR code from any service’s 2FA setup page — or enter the secret manually
4. The factor appears in your list with a live TOTP code

For adding factors in bulk, see Importing Factors.

Next steps

• Add more factors — QR scan, manual entry, or let the extension detect MFA setup pages
• Pair your phone and browser — if they’re not linked yet
• Understand vault types — Cloud Vault (easy recovery) vs Locked Vault (zero-knowledge encryption)
• How push approval works — the core of the FactorCat experience
• Import from another authenticator — migrate from Google Authenticator, Authy, or others