Authentication FAQ (Microsoft Authenticator)
Question: Which version of the Authenticator app should I be using?
Answer: We're always working on new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. Make sure you stay updated with the latest Android and iOS version for the best authentication experience.
Question: I got a prompt asking me to grant permission for the app to access my location. Why am I seeing this?
Answer: You will see a prompt from the Authenticator app asking for access to your location if your IT admin has created a policy requiring you to share your GPS location before you are allowed to access specific resources. You’ll need to share your location once every hour to ensure you are still within a country where you are allowed to access the resource. Additional information regarding iOS and Android location access provided by Microsoft support
Question: I got a new device or restored my device from a backup. How do I set up my accounts in Authenticator again?
Answer: If you turned on Cloud Backup on your old device, you can use your old backup to recover your account credentials on your new iOS or an Android device. For more info, see the Backup and recover account credentials with Authenticator article.
Question: I lost my device or moved on to a new device. How do I make sure notifications don't continue to go to my old device?
Answer: If you've lost your device you want to ensure no one can access your Microsoft Authenticator app. For additional information see Remove the app from a device using a personal Microsoft Account OR Remove the app from a device using a work or school Microsoft account
Question: I can't add my work or school account to Microsoft Authenticator and I am receiving the following error: “We could not complete the sign-in at this time. Please ensure push notifications are enabled in Settings and your network connection is stable.”
Answer: Press OK to dismiss the message and then go to Settings and make sure push notifications are enabled and you have network connectivity. You can also remove your account and attempt the sign in again. If you are still not able to add your account, please reach out to your admin. Additional information and questions regarding common MFA errors: Error adding account
Question: What is App Lock, and how can I use it to help to keep me more secure?
Answer: App Lock helps keep your one-time verification codes, app information, and app settings more secure. When App Lock is enabled, you’ll be asked to authenticate using your device PIN or biometric every time you open Authenticator. App Lock also helps ensure that you’re the only one who can approve notifications by prompting for your PIN or biometric any time you approve a sign-in notification. You can turn App Lock on or off on the Authenticator Settings page. By default, App Lock is turned on when you set up a PIN or biometric on your device.
Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that App Lock will stop someone from accessing Authenticator. That's because device registration can happen in other locations outside of Authenticator, such as in Android account settings or in the Company Portal app.
Question: What data does the Authenticator collect and store on my behalf and how can I delete this data?
Answer: The Authenticator app collects three types of information: Data handling
Question: What are the codes in the app for?
Answer: When you open Authenticator, you'll see your added accounts as tiles. Your work or school accounts and your personal Microsoft accounts will have six or eight digit numbers visible in the full screen view of the account (accessed by tapping the account tile). For other accounts, you’ll see a six or eight digit number in the Accounts page of the app.
You'll use these codes as single-use password to verify that you are who you say you are. After you sign in with your username and password, you'll type in the verification code that's associated with that account. For example, if you're Katy signing in to your Contoso account, you'd tap the account tile and then use the verification code 895823. For the Outlook account, you’d follow the same steps.
Tap the Contoso account tile.
After you tap the Contoso account tile, the verification code is visible in full screen.
Question: Why does the number next to the code keep counting down?
Answer: The active verification code changes every 30 seconds so that if somebody were to learn what code you used to verify your sign in yesterday, or even a minute ago, they wouldn't be able to use that code to get into your account. This timer is the countdown to the verification code changing to the next code. Unlike a password, we don't want you to remember this number. Only someone with access to your phone should be able to get your verification code.
Question: Why is my account tile gray and inactive?
Answer: Some organizations require Authenticator to work with single sign-on and to protect organizational resources. In this situation, the account isn't used for two-step verification and shows up as gray or inactive. This type of account is frequently called a "broker" account.
Question: Do I need to be connected to the Internet or my network to get and use the verification codes?
Answer: The codes don't require you to be on the Internet or connected to data, so you don't need phone service to sign in. Additionally, because the app stops running as soon as you close it, it won't drain your battery.
Question: Do notifications work for non-Microsoft accounts?
Answer: No, notifications only work with Microsoft accounts and Azure Active Directory accounts. If your work or school uses Azure AD accounts, they are able to turn off this feature.
Question: How do I remove an account from the app?
Answer: Tap the account tile for the account you’d like to remove from the app to view the account full screen. Tap Remove account to remove the account from the app.
If you have a device that is registered with your organization, you might need an extra step to remove your account. On these devices, Authenticator is automatically registered as a device administrator. If you want to completely uninstall the app, you need to first unregister the app in the app settings.
Question: Why does the app request so many permissions?
Answer: Microsoft has a list of all of the permission that might be asked for. A detailed view of this list can be found here.
Question: My one-time passcodes are not working. What should I do?
Answer: Make sure the date and time on your device are correct and are being automatically synced. If the date and time is wrong, or out of sync, the code won't work.
Question: I’m trying to sign into an iOS app, and I need to approve a notification on the Authenticator app. When I go back to the iOS app, I get stuck. What can I do?
Answer: Signing into an iOS app error. This is a known issue on iOS 13+. More information regarding signing into iOS apps this can also occur with default mail on iOS.
Question: Are Apple Watch or Android wearable devices supported for Authenticator?
Answer: Apple Watch and Android wearable devices (such as Samsung Galaxy Watch) are currently incompatible with Authenticator’s security features. With the release of Authenticator 6.7.3 for iOS, the companion app was removed from the Apple Watch. This change only affects wearables, so you can still mirror Authenticator notifications from your phone to your wearable device. But how that experience looks depends on your hardware's operating system.
Question: What is Autofill with Authenticator?
Answer: The Authenticator app now securely stores and auto-fills passwords on apps and websites you visit on your phone. You can use Autofill to sync and autofill your passwords on your iOS and Android devices. After setting up the Authenticator app as an autofill provider on your phone, it offers to save your passwords when you enter them on a site or in an app sign-in page. The passwords are saved as part of your Microsoft account and are also available when you sign in to your preferred internet browser with your personal Microsoft account.
More information regarding Autofill with Authenticator.
Question: Why when I try to use my camera to capture a Verified ID QR code it fails?
Answer: Try using the QR code capture feature directly in Microsoft Authenticator instead of scanning the QR code from your camera app
Contact Information
IT Service Desk
support@eku.edu
it.eku.edu
859-622-3000
