diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..308e6c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Extract TOTP/HOTP secret keys from Google Authenticator
+
+Extract two-factor autentication (2FA, TFA) secret keys from export QR codes of "Google Authenticator" app
+
+## Usage
+
+1. Export the QR codes from "Google Authenticator" app
+2. Read QR codes with QR code reader
+3. Save the captured QR codes in a text file. Save each QR code on a new line. (The captured QR codes look like "otpauth-migration://offline?data=...")
+4. Call this script with the file as input:
+    ```
+   python extract_otp_secret_keys.py -q example_export.txt
+    ```
+
+## Requirement
+
+The protobuf package of Google for proto3 is required for running this script.
+
+    pip install protobuf
+
+### Optional
+
+For printing QR codes, the qrcode module is required
+
+    pip install qrcode
+
+## Technical background
+
+The export QR code of "Google Authenticator" contains the URL "otpauth-migration://offline?data=...".
+The data parameter is a base64 encoded proto3 message (Google Protocol Buffers).
+
+Command for regeneration of Python code from proto3 message definition file (only necessary in case of changes of the proto3 message defintion):
+
+    protoc --python_out=generated_python google_auth.proto
+
+## References
+
+Proto3 documentation: https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/docs/pythontutorial
+Template code: https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis/pull/406