Microsoft Authenticator

Microsoft Corporation

About this app

Two factor authentication (2FA or TFA) is easy, convenient, and secure when you use Microsoft Authenticator. Use your phone, not your password, to log into your Microsoft account. Just enter your username, then approve the notification sent to your phone. Your fingerprint, face ID, or PIN will provide a second layer of security in this two step verification process. After you’ve signed in with two factor authentication (2FA or TFA), you’ll have access to all your Microsoft products and services, such as Outlook, OneDrive, Office, and more.

Microsoft Authenticator also supports multi factor authentication (MFA) even if you still use a password, by providing a second layer of security after you type your password. When logging in with two factor authentication (2FA or TFA), you’ll enter your password, and then you’ll be asked for an additional way to prove it’s really you. Either approve the notification sent to the Microsoft Authenticator, or enter the one time password (OTP) generated by the app. The one time passwords (OTP codes) have a 30 second timer counting down. This timer is so you never have to use the same time based one time password (TOTP) twice and you don’t have to remember the number. The one time password (OTP) doesn’t require you to be connected to a network, and it won’t drain your battery.

You can add multiple accounts to your app, including non-Microsoft accounts like LinkedIn, Github, Amazon, Dropbox, Google, Facebook, and more. Since the app supports the industry standard for time based one time passwords (TOTP), you can secure all your online accounts. Simply enable two factor authentication (2FA or TFA) on all your accounts. Then, when you sign in, you’ll provide your username and password as usual. Finally, you’ll enter the one time password (OTP) provided by the Microsoft Authenticator app.

Sometimes your work or school might ask you to install the Microsoft Authenticator when accessing certain files, emails, or apps. You will need to register your device to your organization through the app and add your work or school account. Microsoft Authenticator also supports cert-based authentication by issuing a certificate on your device. This will let your organization know that the sign-in request is coming from a trusted device and help you seamlessly and securely access additional Microsoft apps and services without needing to log into each. Because Microsoft Authenticator supports single sign-on, once you have proven your identity once, you will not need to log in again to other Microsoft apps on your device.

Enroll in our beta program! Follow this link for an early preview of our latest updates: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.azure.authenticator

Ratings and reviews

Works w/every app/site I've linked it to (everything from banking to shopping) & never had a failure. I've been using it for many years now. U can use it w/both your personal email addresses (Gmail, yahoo, etc), & SSO accounts (organization), & across devices. 99% of complaints here are USER error! Don't blame MS because u don't understand how to use this app. & no, it is NOT supposed to sync w/Google PW Manager, for your protection! However, u CAN upload a copy of your passwords to this app.

I was forced to install this app. My work email literally wouldn't open until I did. I did not elect to participate in the use of a two-factor authentication system that, based on the reviews available on the website, will inevitably lock me out when I get a new phone, will subject me to endless code loops, and will offer no customer support. Between this and the disabling of Office features if you opt out of AI, Microsoft is no longer a company; they are an ongoing hostage negotiation.

Using the app, I saved passwords and used the one-time sign-in code for my Microsoft products or accounts. I recently discovered that I no longer have access to all my passwords, saved payment methods, & auto login feature for my accounts on my phone. In recent updates discussed in the past months, they removed this feature. I didn't have much warning that I would lose access to all my saved passwords. I love the convenience of this app, & I always brag about how great it is to family & friends.