Not able to access Workday

Open Microsoft Authenticator directly and check the Workday account entry, because a requested verification code may be displayed in the app rather than delivered as a notification.

Check which sign-in request Workday shows

• “Enter a code”: Open Authenticator, select the work account associated with Workday, and enter the current rotating code if one is displayed. These codes change periodically, so use the current one.
• “Approve a request” or number matching: This requires a push notification. If none arrives:
  1. Unlock and open Authenticator; confirm the work account is listed.
  2. In the phone’s Settings, verify notifications are permitted for Microsoft Authenticator. The exact path differs between iPhone and Android.
  3. Turn off Do Not Disturb/Quiet mode.
  4. Confirm the phone has internet access; switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data.
  5. Set the phone’s date and time to Automatic.
  6. Update Authenticator from the phone’s app store.

Microsoft identifies disabled notifications, outdated app versions, network problems, and incorrect device time as common reasons authentication does not complete.^1^

On the sign-in page, also select Sign in another way if available and use a previously registered method such as SMS, phone call, or a security key.

Do not remove the work account from Authenticator while locked out unless another sign-in method is available; re-adding it can require authentication that you currently cannot complete.

If the account or code is missing

Contact your employer’s Workday or IT help desk. Workday is employer-managed, and the organization must first determine which identity provider handles its sign-in:

• If Workday redirects to a Microsoft-branded organizational sign-in page, the organization may be using Microsoft Entra ID.
• If it uses another sign-in service, the Workday or identity-access administrator must reset or re-enroll MFA in that system instead.

Provide IT with this information:

Workday accepts my password but requires Microsoft Authenticator. No approval prompt arrives, and the required account/code is not available in Authenticator. Please verify the identity provider configured for Workday and reset or re-register my MFA method.

If your organization confirms Workday uses Microsoft Entra ID

Forward these steps to an Authentication Administrator:

1. Open Microsoft Entra admin center.
2. Go to Entra ID → Users.
3. Select the affected user.
4. Select Authentication methods.
5. Choose Require re-register MFA.

This removes the user’s registered phone numbers, Authenticator registrations, and software OATH tokens, then prompts the user to configure MFA again at the next sign-in.^2^

If organizational policy supports it, the administrator can instead issue a Temporary Access Pass, allowing temporary access so the user can register a new authentication method.^3^

References

1. Authentication did not complete | Microsoft Support
2. Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication
3. Plan a Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication deployment