Microsoft Authenticator: What it is, how it works, and how to use it!

Microsoft Authenticator is a security application for two-factor authentication. It competes directly with Google Authenticator, Authy, LastPass Authenticator, and others. You may encounter this application when updating your Microsoft account settings or enabling two-factor authentication. Alternatively, you may wish to use TFA for your own security purposes. You can download Microsoft Authenticator from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Let’s talk about Microsoft Authenticator and how it works.

read more: The best two-factor authentication apps for Android

Microsoft Authenticator is Microsoft’s two-factor authentication application. It was initially launched in beta in June 2016. The app works like most other similar apps. You log into an account and it asks for a code. Microsoft Authenticator generates these types of codes. It’s great for quick logins, it works across platforms and is faster than email or text codes.

You can also use the app for passwordless sign-in to your Microsoft account. The application also has multi-account support and support for non-Microsoft websites and services.

How does Microsoft Authenticator work?

The app works like most other authentication apps. It generates a six- or eight-digit code in a cycle of approximately 30 seconds. You log into your application or service as normal. The website will eventually ask for a two-factor authentication code. Enter the Microsoft Authenticator application to receive these codes.

It works slightly differently on Microsoft accounts than on non-Microsoft accounts. You can use the code in this app to log in to your Microsoft account, no password required. You can also set it up to send you approval push notifications. It also does a secondary check using your phone’s authentication method (fingerprint scanner, PIN, or pattern). However, for all other account types (Facebook, Google, etc.) you must log in with your username and password before you can add code.

Microsoft supports any website that uses the TOTP (Time-Based One-Time Password) standard. Therefore, the application can continuously generate codes and you can use them according to your needs. Most apps you log into use this method, with the exception of some banking apps.

The app is relatively simple to set up. Let’s check the settings of your Microsoft account. Download the app and open it to start the tutorial.

Sign in/Set up Microsoft account

• Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials in the Microsoft Authenticator app. This should be your first prompt when you first open the app.choose Sign in with Microsoft Sign in to your Microsoft account.
• After successfully logging in, you must follow the link on the website to continue setup.Register and click Click this link to pair your account with the app.

• You will receive a number.
• Return to the app and enter the number.

Once you enter the number, the app will link to your Microsoft account, which you can use for passwordless login. The next time you log in, enter your username and then enter the code generated by the application.

Settings for non-Microsoft accounts

Every website is different, but the general idea is the same. This is a fairly simple process.

• You can prepare the Microsoft Authenticator app to perform tasks by clicking on the plus icon (+) In the Microsoft Authenticator application.
• choose Others (Google, Facebook, etc.) option and prepare to perform the following steps.
• Allow the application to access your camera.

• Go to Google, Facebook or whatever account website you want to link to, for example we use Facebook.
• Settings > Settings & Privacy > Account Center > Password & Security.
• choose Authentication application.
• You will see a QR code or key on the screen that you can copy.

• Use the Microsoft Authenticator app to scan the QR code or enter the key manually.
• The app will provide you with a code to enter.

You only need to set up your Microsoft account once. In the meantime, you can add any online accounts you want by repeating the non-Microsoft account steps on all other accounts.

From there, using the app is very easy. When prompted, you can log in using your email or username and password on a non-Microsoft website, and then enter the six-digit code from the Microsoft Authenticator app. The Microsoft website requires you to add your username, and then it will ask you for the code in your application.

On Android, you can use the Microsoft Authenticator app to automatically fill in passwords, addresses, and payment information. Open the Authenticator app, go to the relevant tab (Password, Address, Payment) and save the necessary information. You can also save information to the Authenticator app instead of entering it on other websites.

It will connect everything to your Microsoft account. You can use it to autofill passwords, payment information, and addresses on mobile devices and PCs. If you use the Microsoft Edge browser, it does this automatically. To use this feature on Google Chrome, you need to install the Microsoft Autofill Chrome extension. This feature is only available for Android apps.

Both two-factor authentication apps offer similar functionality. You can use both to log in to various apps and services that use 2FA, and both offer six-digit codes that expire every 30 or 60 seconds. But there are some key differences that give Microsoft Authenticator an advantage.

Microsoft Authenticator’s newest feature, the ability to sync and autofill passwords, addresses, and payment information, isn’t available in the Google app. However, you can sync this information with your Google Account and use it to autofill on Chrome and Android phones. So while Microsoft has built this feature into its apps, Google offers the same service, just without Authenticator.

Microsoft Authenticator makes migrating to a new phone easier because you can back up your login credentials and account settings to a Microsoft account.Open the app and click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner to open set upand enable Cloud backup. When you download the app on your new phone, you can log in with the same account and the information will be available. Google Authenticator does not offer a cloud backup option.

You can also set up Microsoft Authenticator on multiple devices and sync them across the board. Google Authenticator is limited to one device at a time. Microsoft’s app also features various notification options, including push notifications, biometric verification on your phone, and email and SMS. Again, Google offers these options, but it’s linked to your Google account rather than specifically to the authenticator app.