Register for backup, recover after reinstall, and use SMS wisely

My OTPS works the moment you install: no signup wall before your first code. That freedom has a trade-off—data you never backed up can vanish with the browser profile. This guide matches the current FAQ and homepage: when to stay a guest, when to register, and how SMS billing fits in.

Guest mode: great for trying, risky for “forever”

As a guest, authenticator secrets and inbox configuration live in local extension storage tied to that browser install. You get the full popup—TOTP, verification email creation, SMS purchases—but recovery is on you. Clear the profile, wipe the machine, or uninstall the extension without an account, and you typically cannot get that data back.

Registered users: reinstall without drama

If you created a My OTPS account and signed in, your backup is designed for the bad day: new laptop, corporate browser reset, or “I uninstalled the extension.” Reinstall, log into the same account, and authenticator, email, and SMS-related data sync down from the cloud. Secrets travel encrypted; the site states they are not stored as plain text you could read off a server dashboard.

Practical backup checklist

• Register after your first successful import or email verification test—not the night before a trip.
• Keep each service’s recovery codes the issuer gives during 2FA setup; My OTPS does not replace those printed backups.
• Before deleting entries from an old phone app, compare one live TOTP cycle in both places.
• Remove verification inboxes you no longer need so lists stay scannable.

SMS: where the meter runs

Authenticator and email verification are free to create in bulk on the current plan. Phone numbers are pay-as-you-go, often from about $0.01 per message depending on country and route. That model suits:

• One-off registrations on services that reject VoIP or mail-only proof.
• Short rentals when you only need a single activation SMS.
• Tests that must hit real SMS gateways in 180+ supported regions.

The homepage highlights coverage for hundreds of named apps plus an “other service” path when yours is not listed—check inside the extension before you buy a number.

Everyday vs team use

Personal 2FA: lean on Authenticator + email; add SMS only when a site forces it. Sign in so your laptop and desktop share the same entries.

Dev/QA/product: batch signups and password resets with disposable verification emails and dedicated test numbers so production inboxes stay clean. AI extraction and toasts keep repetitive runs fast without typing codes from screenshots.

Quick answers

Do I need an account? No—to start. Yes—if you want cloud recovery after uninstall or a second computer.

Which browsers? Chrome today; Firefox and Safari are listed on the site with “coming soon” until store links go live.

Are my authenticator secrets visible to My OTPS staff? No—generation stays on your device; cloud copies are encrypted in transit and at rest per the public FAQ.

Closing habit

Treat registration like saving a document: ten seconds after install, while you still remember. Productivity on the homepage is not just faster copy—it is never re-scanning twenty QRs because the extension disappeared with a browser cleanup policy.