transfer my accounts to my new phone

Keep the old iPhone until all three accounts work on the new one, then use Authenticator’s iCloud backup to transfer supported entries and re-register any work or school accounts.

1. Back up Authenticator on the old iPhone

Face ID does not need to work as long as you can unlock and operate the phone using its passcode.

1. Enable iCloud Drive.
2. Enable iCloud Keychain.
3. Enable iCloud Backup.
4. Open Settings → Apple Account → iCloud → Saved to iCloud.
5. Search for Authenticator and turn it on.
6. Open Microsoft Authenticator at least once so its current data can be included.

Microsoft documents these as the required iPhone backup settings.^1^

2. Restore on the new iPhone

The new phone must be the same device type—an iOS backup cannot be restored to Android.^2^

1. Sign in to the new iPhone with the Apple account used for the backup.
2. Confirm that iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup are enabled.
3. Install and open Microsoft Authenticator.
4. The backed-up codes and account names should appear.
5. For every entry showing Sign in to restore your account, Action required, or Sign in to add your account, open it and complete sign-in.
6. Test each account before erasing or trading in the old phone.

What will transfer

• Third-party accounts using rotating 30-second codes generally restore with their codes.
• Microsoft personal accounts using rotating codes restore those codes. Passwordless credentials require another sign-in.
• Work or school accounts: only the account name is restored. You must open each account and sign in again to register the new phone.
• Passkeys: if a passkey existed only on the old phone, create a new passkey on the new phone before removing the old device.^1^

If a work or school account cannot be re-registered

While the old phone still approves sign-ins:

1. Open the organization’s Security info page at https://aka.ms/mysecurityinfo.
2. Select Add sign-in method.
3. Choose Microsoft Authenticator, or choose Passkey if your organization requires it.
4. Follow the prompts on the new phone.
5. Test the new method.
6. Only after it works, remove the old phone or obsolete authentication method.^1^

If you cannot approve the sign-in with the old phone and have no alternative method such as SMS, contact each organization’s IT administrator. The administrator must require MFA re-registration and, where appropriate, revoke the existing MFA sessions so you can enroll the new phone.^3^

Do not erase Authenticator, reset its backup, or dispose of the old phone until all three accounts have been tested successfully.

References

1. Transfer Microsoft Authenticator account entries to a new phone
2. Restore one-time password codes in Microsoft Authenticator | Microsoft Support
3. How to change Microsoft Authenticator from old phone to new phone? - Microsoft Q&A