Fix Authenticator

Sania Aftab 0 Reputation points
2026-10-07T00:17:36.88+00:00

My authentication app won’t work on my new phone in order to log into Microsoft resources.

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator
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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-07T00:17:57.98+00:00

    Try this in order:

    1. If the sign-in is asking for approval from Authenticator on the new phone, select "I can't use my Microsoft Authenticator app right now", "Sign in another way", or another available verification method such as SMS, phone, email, security key, or passkey.
    2. If this is a work or school account and there is no other sign-in method available, contact the organization’s IT administrator and ask for the MFA methods to be reset or for re-registration of multi-factor authentication. After that, sign in again and register Microsoft Authenticator on the new phone.
    3. If this is a personal Microsoft account and another verification method is available, use it, then remove the old Authenticator registration and set up the new phone again.
    4. If the app is installed but authentication still fails on the new phone, check these common fixes:
      • Make sure the Authenticator app is unlocked.
      • Make sure notifications are enabled for the app.
      • Make sure the phone has internet access; try switching between Wi‑Fi and mobile data.
      • Make sure Airplane mode is off.
      • Update to the latest version of Microsoft Authenticator.
      • Check that the device date and time are correct.
      • If using a VPN, disconnect it and test again.
      • In Authenticator, open Settings and turn off battery optimization.
    5. If a push notification is going to the old phone instead of the new one, approve it on the old device if it is still available, then remove the old device registration. If the old phone is no longer available, use another verification method if one exists.
    6. If the new phone was restored from backup and the app shows "Sign in to add your account." for a work or school account, open that account in Authenticator and sign in again. That is expected after restore.
    7. If backup restore is missing on iPhone, verify on the old device that:
      • iCloud Drive is enabled
      • iCloud Keychain is enabled
      • iCloud Backup is enabled
      • Authenticator is turned on in Saved to iCloud
      • Authenticator is version 6.8.33 or later
      • The app was opened at least once before switching phones
      Then on the new iPhone, uninstall and reinstall Microsoft Authenticator so the backup can appear.
    8. If none of the above works, send logs from the app: open Authenticator, go to the app’s top-level menu, and select Send feedback. Then contact Support for personal accounts or the IT admin for work or school accounts.

    Important: resetting or re-registering MFA removes previous authentication methods, so the new methods must be set up again before old ones are removed.

    References:

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