Don’t receive Authenticator code to accept

Question

Hi. I have a problem to confirm my identity using MS Authenticator App. I received an invitation to external share point from my company, enter my email address, confirm with a verification code from this company and system asked me to accept code in Authenticator but there is no option to do this. No codes are visible to be approved. I have changed my phone to the new one and it happened after the change. Seems I stocked in some loop of authentication process.

can you help me?

Answer 1

Hi @Łukasz Tejkowski, 

Based on what you described, the cause is that your old phone is still registered as the primary Microsoft Authenticator method on your account. When you try to sign in, Microsoft Entra ID is prompting for an approval in Authenticator, but that approval request is being sent to the previously registered device. Since your new phone hasn’t been fully registered yet, there’s nowhere for the request to appear, which is why you don’t see any codes or approval options and feel stuck in a loop.

The quickest and most effective way to resolve this is to ask your organization’s 365 administrator to reset your MFA setup. They can do this by revoking your existing MFA sessions and authentication methods, which forces a clean re‑registration. Microsoft documents this process here: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID |…    

Once the admin removes the old authentication methods, the next time you sign in you’ll be prompted to set up MFA again from scratch, and you should be able to successfully register Microsoft Authenticator on your new phone and receive approval requests as expected. 

Note: If you’re an end user and don’t have admin permissions yourself, please reach out to your company’s IT department for assistance. If you’re not sure who to contact, a good starting point is the person who originally provided your Microsoft 365 account or login details. This article may also help you identify the right admin contact: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support 

As this is a user-to-user support forum, I can only offer steps based on my experience and how similar cases are typically resolved, rather than making direct changes. In your case, the account is entirely managed by your company, and only those with the appropriate administrative permissions can modify its security settings. 

That said, I genuinely hope this points you in the right direction and helps you regain access as quickly as possible. 

Thank you so much for your patience. 

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Answer 2

Follow these steps to get out of the loop and complete verification:

1. Check where the Authenticator notification is going
   • When a push is sent, it goes to the device where Microsoft Authenticator was last used.
   • If Authenticator is still installed and active on the old phone, the approval request may be going there instead of the new phone.
   • If possible, turn on the old phone, open Microsoft Authenticator, and check for the approval prompt. Approve it there once to complete the sign-in.
2. Remove old devices from the account
   • After gaining access, remove the old device so future prompts go only to the new phone.
   • Follow the steps in the “How do I make sure notifications don't go to an old device?” section mentioned in the FAQ, and keep the device list up to date in the account security settings at https://account.microsoft.com/security.
3. Use an alternative verification method
   • If the old phone is not available or Authenticator on it cannot be used, choose a different verification method if offered (for example, SMS or email code) when prompted.
   • Complete verification using that alternative method, then reconfigure Microsoft Authenticator on the new phone.
4. Check for common Authenticator issues on the new phone If the prompt should be coming to the new phone but nothing appears:
   • Ensure the Microsoft Authenticator app is unlocked and open when trying to sign in.
   • Verify notifications are enabled for Microsoft Authenticator and not set to silent.
   • Make sure the app is updated to the latest version.
   • Confirm the phone has a working internet connection (try switching between Wi‑Fi and mobile data).
   • Check that the device date and time are set correctly (automatic time is recommended).
5. If still stuck in a loop
   • For a work or school account, contact the organization’s help desk or IT admin and ask them to clear or reset the MFA/authentication methods for the account. After they reset, the next sign-in will prompt to register Authenticator again on the new phone.

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References:

• Microsoft Authenticator FAQs
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator

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