By AppHub Editorial Team · Updated August 3, 2026
Microsoft Authenticator
Overview
Business
Microsoft Corporation
Free
Jan 13, 2015
6.2602.0889
8.0
No
Feb 13, 2026
Features
Use Microsoft Authenticator for easy, secure sign-ins for all your online accounts using multi-factor authentication, passwordless, or password. You also have additional account management options for your Microsoft personal, work or school accounts.
Getting started with multi-factor authentication Multi factor authentication (MFA) or two factor authentication (2FA) provides a second layer of security. When logging in with multi-factor authentication, you’ll enter your password, and then you’ll...
Use Microsoft Authenticator for easy, secure sign-ins for all your online accounts using multi-factor authentication, passwordless, or password. You also have additional account management options for your Microsoft personal, work or school accounts. Getting started with multi-factor authenticationMulti factor authentication (MFA) or two factor authentication (2FA) provides a second layer of security. When logging in with multi-factor authentication, 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 Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn, GitHub, and more. Getting started with passwordlessUse 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), you’ll have access to all your Microsoft products and services, such as Outlook, OneDrive, Office, and more. Microsoft personal, work or school accountsSometimes 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. Optional Access permissions: Microsoft Authenticator includes the following optional access permissions. All these require user consent. If you choose to not grant these optional access permissions, you can still use Microsoft Authenticator for other services that do not require such permission. For more information see https://aka. ms/authappfaqAccessibility Service: Used to optionally support features on more apps and sites. Location: Sometimes your organization wants to know your location before allowing you to access certain resources. The app will request this permission only if your organization has a policy requiring location. Camera: Used to scan QR codes when you add a work, school, or non-Microsoft account. Read the contents of your storage: This permission is only used when you report a technical problem through the app settings. Some information from your storage is collected to diagnose the issue.
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Ratings breakdown
2,540,000 reviewsData Safety
- This app may share these data types with third parties Location and App activity
- This app may collect these data types Location
- Data is encrypted in transit
- You can request that data be deleted
Permissions
- add or remove accounts
- approximate location (network-based)
- precise location (GPS and network-based)
- take pictures and videos
- view network connections
- create accounts and set passwords
- full network access
- close other apps
Developer contact
Name
Microsoft Corporation
Address
1 Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 United States
Phone
+1 800-642-7676
Support
noreply@microsoft.com
Privacy
View policyFrequently Asked Questions
Is Microsoft Authenticator free and does it contain ads? high
Yes, Microsoft Authenticator is completely free to download and use. It contains no ads or in-app purchases, as confirmed by its Google Play listing.
Source: app_metadata
What happens when I get a new phone? Will I get locked out? high
Based on recent user reviews, switching to a new phone is a major point of frustration. Several users report it is 'absolute hell' and can lead to a circular lockout where you cannot sign in to the app without using the app itself. Users are strongly advised to follow Microsoft's official device transfer guide or use backup/recovery methods (like a printed recovery code) before factory resetting or deactivating an old phone. Microsoft's app description mentions account management options, but user reviews suggest the transfer process is not straightforward.
Source: user_reviews
Does Microsoft Authenticator work with non-Microsoft accounts like Google or Amazon? high
Yes, according to the app's description, Microsoft Authenticator supports adding non-Microsoft accounts such as Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn, and GitHub. One recent positive reviewer also confirms it works with 'everything from banking to shopping' and multiple personal email addresses.
Source: app_metadata, user_reviews
Can I use my work or school account with this app? high
Yes. The app description states it supports Microsoft personal, work, or school accounts. It also supports cert-based authentication and single sign-on, allowing access to apps like Outlook, OneDrive, and Office without repeated logins. Several negative reviews confirm this but note that many employers force the installation of the app for email or file access.
Source: app_metadata, user_reviews
Is there a recovery code or way to get back in if I lose my phone? medium
User reviews strongly indicate a lack of a clear or easy recovery path, with multiple reviewers stating 'there is 0 way to fix it' or describing the process as 'absolute hell.' The app description does not explicitly detail a recovery code feature in the provided text. For Microsoft accounts, recovery options may exist through your Microsoft account settings online, but reviews suggest it is not user-friendly for device-to-device migration.
Source: user_reviews
How to Use
Microsoft Authenticator provides secure, two-factor authentication for online accounts, allowing you to sign in using push notifications, one-time passwords, or passwordless methods. (app_description)
Getting Started
Source: app_description_and_user_feedback_noted
- Step 1: Download and open the Microsoft Authenticator app on your Android device.
- Step 2: To add a Microsoft personal, work, or school account, sign into your account on the app. You may also need to scan a QR code provided by your organization.
- Step 3: To add a non-Microsoft account (e.g., Google, Facebook, Amazon), use the app's 'Add account' feature and follow the on-screen instructions, which typically involve scanning a QR code from the service's security settings page.
- Step 4: Enable push notifications for account approval or set up a PIN, fingerprint, or face ID for passwordless sign-in. Before getting a new phone, follow Microsoft's official guide to back up your accounts or save a recovery code to avoid a lockout.
Key Features (from app listing)
Source: app_description
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA) with push notification approval or one-time passwords (OTP).
- Passwordless sign-in for Microsoft accounts using phone approval, fingerprint, face ID, or PIN.
- Support for non-Microsoft accounts including Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn, and GitHub.
- Single sign-on (SSO) for Microsoft services like Outlook, OneDrive, and Office after initial authentication.
- Certificate-based authentication for work or school accounts on trusted devices.
This tip is directly responsive to a verified user complaint from recent reviews where multiple users (review #2, review #4) described severe lockout issues when switching phones. Microsoft's own FAQ (linked in the app description) and standard account recovery procedures are the referenced source for the suggested workaround.
How this content was created
Content type: pattern_analysis_of_user_reviews_and_metadata
AI generated: Yes
- Google Play user reviews (5 reviews (below the preferred 12-20 range) per app), September 19, 2025 to January 21, 2026
- Google Play ratings distribution
- App Store listing metadata
- Review samples are not statistically representative of all user sentiment.
- Only 5 reviews were available, all from the same 'recent' bucket, introducing bias toward very recent experiences.
- No high-engagement complaints or praise samples were available to cross-reference themes.
- Claims labeled 'low confidence' are based on single-review observations only.
- No real-world app testing was conducted.
- Feature availability may vary by region, device, and app version.
Pros & Cons
Based on analysis of Google Play user reviews
Pros
- Works reliably with a wide range of apps and services, including banking and shopping.
Theme 'Works with many services' identified in recent_review #2
Evidence (1)
“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.”Rating: 5★ January 09, 2026 220 likes - Supports both personal and work/school accounts, including SSO.
Theme 'Supports multiple account types' identified in recent_review #2
Evidence (1)
“U can use it w/both your personal email addresses (Gmail, yahoo, etc), & SSO accounts (organization), & across devices.”Rating: 5★ January 09, 2026 220 likes - Allows password backup and export within the app.
Theme 'Password backup' identified in recent_review #2
Evidence (1)
“u CAN upload a copy of your passwords to this app.”Rating: 5★ January 09, 2026 220 likes
Cons
- Extremely difficult to transfer to a new phone, often locking users out of accounts.
Theme 'Difficult phone transfer' identified in recent_review #1 and #4
Evidence (2)
“And if you get a new phone, I wish you even more luck, because that is absolute hell, trying to get the authenticator to recognize your new phone.”Rating: 1★ January 21, 2026 128 likes“I got a new phone... how am I supposed to log into the authenticator app without being able to approve a sign-in using the... Authenticator app.... AND THERE IS 0 WAY TO FIX IT.”Rating: 1★ September 19, 2025 162 likes - Frequent login loops, errors, and notification failures make it unreliable.
Theme 'Login loops and errors' identified in recent_review #5
Evidence (1)
“More than half the time, the notification code to login to one of my accounts using this doesn't even pop up, it gives me errors logging in, it puts me in a loop”Rating: 1★ October 19, 2025 107 likes - Requires internet or Wi-Fi to function, causing issues in areas with poor reception.
Theme 'Requires internet connection' identified in recent_review #1
Evidence (1)
“you won't be able to use it if you lose reception or don't have Wi-Fi, which is a common occurrence in our very large building.”Rating: 1★ January 21, 2026 128 likes
Recent Reviews
Carlie French
1★Garbage. If your company decides to use this, best of luck. And if you get a new phone, I wish you even more luck, because that is absolute hell, trying to get the authenticator to recognize your new phone. There have got to be better ways to secure digital things than this damned app. Also, you won't be able to use it if you lose reception or don't have Wi-Fi, which is a common occurrence in our very large building.
Suzy
5★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.
Taylor Herring
1★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.
Colin Muckleroy
1★Make sure to download on a device you won't lose. I got a new phone, as most everyone does every couple of years. well... how am I supposed to log into the authenticator app without being able to approve a sign-in using the... Authenticator app.... AND THERE IS 0 WAY TO FIX IT. I now have to go through my supervisor to IT to reset it. I know the password... its correct. I'm logged in, but I have access to nothing because I can't use the app without accepting it.
Alfredo Olguin
1★This authenticator app is so ridiculous! Only use it cause of other organizations and companies that force me to use it for login. More than half the time, the notification code to login to one of my accounts using this doesn't even pop up, it gives me errors logging in, it puts me in a loop, makes it hard to transfer my logins to a new device, asks me to type in a code repeatedly, has issues loading and backing up my logins and now I'm locked out of one of my accounts cause of this stupid app!