Microsoft MFA MultiFactor Authenticator Not Working on phone
Oof this is not fun to deal with folks. If you are being prompted on your computer to put in a code on your MFA app on your phone to login and it’s not working, it’s probably due to a few reasons:
- You have a new phone and the phone store transferred all of your apps. Apps logins for MFA need to be reauthorized. You will need to log into your 365 account and reauthorize and set up a fresh security connection to your MFA app
- You got a new phone. Your apps may have transferred, but your work account’s Authenticator setup might still need to be completed. Having the app on your new phone doesn’t necessarily mean it’s ready to approve your login
- The app was deleted and reinstalled. Unfortunately, reinstalling Authenticator doesn’t automatically reconnect it to your account. Restored work or school accounts can require you to sign in again.
- Notifications are turned off. The approval request may not pop up.
- Your phone has a connection problem. Approval requests need internet access, even when your computer is connected just fine.
- Battery-saving settings are interfering. Your phone may be restricting the app in the background.
- The app needs an update. Check for an available Authenticator update.
- Your phone’s date and time are incorrect. This can interfere with verification, especially those rotating codes
- You’re looking at the wrong account. If you have several accounts in Authenticator, check the email address carefully. Your personal Microsoft account and your work account are separate, even if the names look familiar.
- You’re mixing up the two types of prompts. Sometimes your computer shows a number that you enter on your phone. Other times, the computer asks for the rotating code displayed inside the app. Those are different steps.
- The request or code expired. By the time you found your phone, unlocked it, and opened the app, you may need to start a fresh sign-in attempt.
My advice: Don’t start by deleting the app or removing the account. First, check whether you have another sign-in method available. If you’re locked out of a work account, your Microsoft 365 administrator may need to reset your MFA registration so you can set it up again.
My other advice: Call Microsoft and ask for the data protection team. They can authenticate your account and then reset your MFA so you can set it up again and log into your online account.
There might be more reasons, but this is what I came up with today. If you need my help, use the form below. I don’t have any shortcut methods to calling Microsoft unfortunately but sometimes I can help with the steps above or helping you get more secured after Microsoft helps. A few training tips will help you in the future.
