How do I sign into my recent authentication app from a new device

On the new phone, start Microsoft Authenticator’s Restore from backup/Begin recovery process instead of signing in normally, using the same personal Microsoft recovery account and the same device platform as the old phone.

If the new phone is Android

Because you already signed in and no accounts appeared:

1. Open Microsoft Authenticator and sign out or remove the accounts currently shown.
2. Return to the initial Authenticator screen.
3. Select Restore from backup or Begin recovery before signing in normally.
4. Sign in with the exact personal Microsoft account used under Settings → Cloud Backup on the old phone.
5. The backed-up account names and eligible one-time-password codes should appear.
6. Open every entry marked Action required, then sign in and complete email or phone verification. ^1^

If the new phone is an iPhone

Authenticator backup on iOS depends on iCloud, not only the Microsoft recovery email.

1. Confirm the new iPhone uses the same Apple/iCloud account as the old iPhone.
2. If the old iPhone is available, verify that iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud backup for Authenticator were enabled.
3. Update Authenticator on the old phone to version 6.8.33 or later and open it at least once.
4. On the new iPhone, uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Authenticator, then open it. The backup should appear.
5. Tap Sign in to restore your account on entries requiring additional setup. ^2^

Important restore limitations

• A backup can only be restored to the same device type: an iPhone backup cannot be restored to Android, or vice versa.
• Work or school accounts: only the account name is restored. You must sign in and register Authenticator again.
• Personal Microsoft accounts: rotating 30-second codes can be restored, but passwordless credentials must be set up again.
• Third-party accounts: eligible rotating codes are restored.
• Passkeys: these are handled separately and may need to be recreated on the new phone. ^3^

If the old phone is still available, do not erase it until every important account works on the new phone.

If the accounts still do not appear

The likely conditions to check are:

• The backup was saved under a different Microsoft recovery account.
• Backup was not successfully enabled before changing phones.
• The old and new phones use different platforms.
• On iPhone, the iCloud account or required iCloud settings differ.
• The entries are work/school accounts that must be registered again.

For a work or school account, use another available sign-in method and re-add Authenticator from the account’s Security info page. If no alternate method works, contact that organization’s IT administrator to reset the MFA registration. Cloud backup cannot restore the work/school credentials themselves.

If “IDs” means Verified IDs rather than account/code entries, the supplied recovery documentation does not state that those credentials are included in Authenticator cloud backup; contact the organization that issued each Verified ID to have it reissued.

References

1. Android
2. Microsoft Authenticator FAQs | Microsoft Support
3. Transfer Microsoft Authenticator account entries to a new phone