How can I transfer my Microsoft Authenticator app to a new device without losing my configured data?

Is it impossible for Microsoft to write readable help notes? Why are the steps to follow hidden away? Unbelievably amateur.

My new phone already has one MS account on it which it defaulted to, so I can't add the old profile and will lose all those logins. This was not helpful at all!

Thank you ole martin sorle!!! Why do they leave us high and dry on this stuff! Until I read your comment I was tearing my hair out. App was automatically opening, no "restore" to be found and what a back handed way of managing the transfer anyway. Good grief!!

Would be nice with some info about how to find all the QR codes I need to scan. The backup is completely useless without that step.

Switch to Google Authenticator. It does not have these problems and Microsoft Supports it.

That worked for Microsoft account, however the passwords have not been transferred??

See other comment,can'tt delete this one

Ok, I deleted the app and re installed it, found the back up part, the websites were transferred but its not working, no codes

but those recovered MS email accounts have "Actions Required: and where to find QR code or codes ?

I have to agree with the people citing the QR Code issue. Some of my account info works, but 4 of them say "Action Required" that says, "Scan the QR code provided by your organization to finish recovering this account."

Where does one get those? One of them is my own company's account (using an .onmicrosoft.com domain). I have no idea how to generate such QR codes or where to get them. There were automated QR codes on screen when first creating the Authenticator entry, but those QR codes disappeared when I originally set it up on the other phone. How do you regenerate them? I'm one of the business managers and several of these, and there's no IT department and nobody knows how to generate them at the companies. It's a Microsoft thing. So how do we get MS to generate them?

"Pls note that some accounts will ask you to revalidate, to confirm it is you. by signing in to those accounts or scanning a QR code. Microsoft Authenticator will display a message if you need to do this" is the definition of a backup failing. Just tried a transfer and 100% of the accounts need to scan a code that I can't access because I can't sign in. SMH

Didn't work for me. It wants a personal Microsoft Account. I use Authenticator for business needs. It won't use my business account. When I try to use my personal Microsoft Account, it wants me to enter a code but the App never asks for it. Eventually it times out. I have switched to using Google Authenticator. It works and transfers perfectly when getting a new phone.

The question about how to deal with "Action required - Scan the QR code" message has not been answered. How do we get past that?

There is no option "recovery tool". Clearer instructions needed

i have taken cloud backup on my android device using my gmail id. now i want to restore this on my new iphone, but when i click on recovery it says no backup found in iCloud. Make sure you are signed in icloud with the same account you took backup with. Please help

To remove the "action requiered" follow th following instructions:

1. Go to the website: https://portal.office.com and log in
2. Perform the authentication on your old phone if you still have it. If you no longer have your old phone, select the option to receive a call. Answer the call and press the hash key (#) to approve the authentication.
3. Click on your profile photo/initials in the top-right corner and select View Account.
4. Under Security Info, click on Update Info.
5. To access these settings, you will need to verify your identity again.
6. You will now see an overview of your linked devices, phone numbers, and apps. You can remove these or add a new one by clicking on Add Sign-In Method. It is also possible to update your registered phone number.

When you do an encrypted backup of an iPhone, it saves all the passwords and pretty much transfers everything to the new phone. Everything EXCEPT Microsoft Authenticator Data. Why does Microsoft not allow this? And why does it have to backup to iCloud. I do not use iCloud. I make all my backups locally on my computer. And why does it want a personal Microsoft Account. Trying to separate personal and business accounts with the same email is confusing and problematic. I have separate emails for business and personal and Microsoft should do the same.

MS authentication is a total DOGS DINNER. Trying to login with the credentials needed - can login to Onedrive, no problem. Try with this sh*t app and no can do. Used to be able to save to a file - no longer. A TOTAL mess on top of the awful MSFT cloud personal / business options. I have no idea how to get these keys out now onto a new device.

Doesnt work. ""something went wrong. Please send us logs using the Send logs option"

I cleared all app data (in Android app settings) on the new phone.
Then Authenticator starts from scratch and offers Restore from cloud backup :-)
The MFA request for restore login must be via mail or SMS.
All my six Id accounts were restored, only one required new sign in ...

@Remco van der Schoot your response helped to restore all standard accounts. It doesn't work for guest accounts (#EXT) though.

Authenticator accounts which match this pattern username_homedomain.com(#EXT)@hostorganisation.onmicrosoft.com are guest accounts in organisations you had been invited for collaboration. To remove the "action required" for these accounts follow these instructions:

1. Go to the website: https://portal.office.com and log in with your standard account
2. Perform the authentication on your old phone if you still have it. If you no longer have your old phone, select the option to receive a call. Answer the call and press the hash key (#) to approve the authentication.
3. Click on your profile photo/initials in the top-right corner and select View Account (may have moved to lower left corner).
4. Under **Organisations **you will find all organisations you collaborate with using a guest account.
5. Now the tricky part to get the QR code to renew your Authenticator account for another organisation: find the organisation in the list and click on Leave
6. Sometimes you will be asked to sign-in once more. Perform the authentication on your old phone.
7. Sometimes you will directly be faced with the choice to leave the organisation or to cancel. Do NOT click any button at this screen. Instead use the drop down next to My Account in the title menu to select "My Account".
8. This will open your account settings for the guest account in the host organisation. Notice your account name on the top of the left menu.
9. Click on Security Info, this will open another logon screen. Select your home account.
10. You will now see all the options to sign in with your guest account. Click on Add sign-in method and select Microsoft Authenticator to add your new phone.
11. This will show the required QR code. Open the account in the authenticator app on your new phone, tap on Action required and scan the QR.
12. Once confirmed with a number code, you can delete the entry for your old phone. Close the browser window and continue with the next organisation to which you have been invited.

What if I didn't backup before resetting my iphone? How do I fix it? I have the correct user account.

If you do not have a backup you will have to follow the steps for each 2FA token you had how to recover from a lost phone/token generator, i. e. you have to recreate all tokens, use other 2FA methods such as text messages and emails to achieve this, use recovery codes or ask your administrator to reset your 2FA settings e. g. in Microsoft 365 for Business/Enterprise.

If you don't have a backup, follow the steps outlined by Remco van der Schoot above to add the account to your new phone.

None of the 2FA are transferred using the official method at the top... they all need to be done manually

Dear Microsoft Support Team,

I am reaching out for assistance with restoring my Microsoft Authenticator data on a new device. I had enabled cloud backup on my old device, but I am unable to recover the accounts on my new phone despite multiple attempts.

This issue is preventing me from accessing several important accounts, and I would greatly appreciate your help in recovering my backup or finding another way to regain access.

Please let me know what information or verification steps are needed from my side.

Thank you very much for your support.

2FA codes for Microsoft Business/Enterprise/School accounts cannot be copied to another device without further authentication on the new device. Only simple 2FA codes can be re-used directly from the restored backup.

You have to ask your IT to reset the 2FA for the business accounts if you do not have access to your old phone.

Hard to follow, no visual guide, solution doesn’t actually work (step not followable)

Thanks for the helpful instructions, but one question sorry, where do i get the QR code to scan, for the accounts that dont validate? as per your "Pls note that some accounts will ask you to revalidate, to confirm it is you. by signing in to those accounts or scanning a QR code."

I cant find where this QR code is.. please advise?

You have to ask your administrator to reset you 2FA for these Microsoft Business Accounts if you do not have access to other means to authenticate.
As soon as you can re-login use https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info to add new or further devices - up to 5 are allowed.

It keeps telling me I need a personal Microsoft email to back up my data but I’m a small business owner and so have purchased this as a work product. I don’t have a personal Microsoft email otherwise.

The same is true for me, and I use my personal Microsoft account for backup of my (also partly personal) 2FA tokens. If you do not want to have a personal Microsoft account, you obviously do not want to have a backup if this tells you that you need one for this function...