Reinstalling Microsoft Authenticator app on your new phone

Tags mfa

Selecting Microsoft Authenticator app as a primary second factor authentication method during the initial MFA setup have posed a big challenge to users that did not configure any alternate authentication methods. This option requires you to have access to a phone that you used and registered with Microsoft during MFA setup, in order to complete the MFA challenge when signing in. What happens when you purchase a new phone and no longer have the old one? If you have access to a computer, you may be able to update your MFA configuration to include your new phone following steps outlined below. If you can't, you have to submit a request by opening a ticket to have your MFA reset.

Updating your Microsoft Profile

Because this app ties itself to a specific device, you can’t simply install the app on your new phone or tablet and expect it to work. To add your new phone to your Microsoft profile, you need to access and edit your Microsoft work/school account profile.

  1. Sign in to your Microsoft work/school account (myprofile.microsoft.com) on your computer.
  2. Click Security info on the left side of your screen.
    NOTE: For security reasons, each time you attempt to access the "Security info" section of this profile, you will be challenged with MFA, unless you checked the box "Don't prompt me for 30 days" on that device during your previous login. If you get challenged with MFA during this process, you can click on Sign in another way link to see a list of other MFA methods you can use, assuming that you pre-configured them. If you cannot work around this, go to the "MFA Reset" section below.
  3. Remove Microsoft Authenticator entry from the list.
  4. Click on + Add method button to add an authentication method. 
  5. Select Authenticator app and click Add.
  6. Install the Microsoft Authenticator app from the app store on your new phone.
  7. After you finished installing the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone, click Next on your computer.
  8. On your new phone, launch the Microsoft Authenticator app, and scan the barcode.
  9. Enter the code that appears on your computer.

You’ll need to manually add each service for which you use Microsoft Authenticator on the old device to the app on the new device.

If you still have your old phone, delete the services from the app on the old device, then uninstall the app.

It is recommended to setup multiple secondary factors, e.g. both Text Message and Authenticator App for redundancy 

MFA Reset

If you no longer have access to your phone which was used for MFA, you can reset your MFA options at our self-service site for UWin Account management:

  1. In your browser, go to account.uwindsor.ca
  2. Sign in with your UWin ID and password
  3. Click MFA Reset
  4. Provide answers to security questions
  5. Click Reset

The next time you try to sign into any services that require MFA, you will be prompted to configure it on your new phone, just like you did when you originally set it up.

If you cannot remember answers to your security questions, our Service Desk staff can reset your MFA profile for you. To submit your request, use the link below to open a ticket. Be sure to select "Requesting MFA reset" in the Request Type field on the ticket form.

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This article explains how to configure your auth options before (recommended) or after MFA was enabled on your account.
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