Authenticator/Teams Loop Issue on iPhone

Question

I went to Teams on my iPhone I had to enter a code from the Authenticator app and enter my Authenticator pin. Once I did that, my phone kept switching between the Teams app screen and the Authenticator app screen.

I've tried the following suggestions but they are all band-aid solutions:

Check for Updates: Make sure both the Teams app and the Authenticator app on your iPhone are up to date. Sometimes, outdated apps can cause compatibility issues.

Restart Your iPhone: Try restarting your iPhone to see if it resolves the issue. Sometimes, a simple restart can fix minor software glitches.

Clear Cache and Data: If the issue persists, try clearing the cache and data for both the Teams and Authenticator apps. This can help eliminate any corrupted data causing the problem. To do this, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage > select the app > Offload App or Delete App.

Reinstall the Authenticator App: If clearing the cache and data doesn't help, try uninstalling and reinstalling the Authenticator app. This can ensure that you have the latest version of the app installed without any potential issues.

Check Permissions: Ensure that both the Teams app and the Authenticator app have the necessary permissions enabled on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Teams/Authenticator > Permissions, and make sure that permissions like Camera, Notifications, and Background App Refresh are enabled as needed.

Close both the Authenticator app and the Teams app. Open the Authenticator app first then open Teams.

I need a permanent fix and need know why this issue is being caused in the first place, please.

Answer 1

Have the same Teams/Authenticator loop issue and have gone through all of the steps listed above to troubleshoot, to no avail.

Is Teams just not available on iPhone at the moment? Is a fix in the works?

Thank you!

Issue: Open authenticator, open teams, attempt to sign in to Teams. Teams sends me to the authenticator app where I sign in with my password, authenticate, and I'm sent back to Teams. I'm instantly sent back to the authenticator app to sign in again.

iPhone 13

Model MLAP3LL/A

iOS version 17.6.1

EDIT:

Played around a bit and found a workaround:

(Not sure if #1 helped or not, but putting it here. Nervous about a repro without step #1 and not getting back in. You can try both ways.)

1. Updated MSFT mysignins -> Security Info -> "Sign in method when most advisable is unavailable:" updated to text my phone #
2. Deleted Authenticator
3. Restarted iPhone
4. Opened Teams and signed in
5. When prompted for authenticator code, I selected "authenticator not available."
6. Selected "Text phone with code"

** Note: On a separate attempt prior to deleting the authenticator, I got a failure message at this point. I flagged it going forward and the method went through. I did NOT get the failure message this time around.**

7. Entered code received via text.
8. Teams went through the setup process and had me restart the app.
9. Opened Teams back up and had to sign back in; repeated steps 4-7.
10. It worked: I was back in Teams.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hello! Sorry to hear that you're having this issue, and it seems to be an ongoing issue for quite a few users.

If you are able, I recommend removing your previous authenticator method from your O365 web portal. You should be able to do this here: https://account.live.com/proofs/manage/additional?mkt=en-GB&refd=account.microsoft.com&refp=security

You can then re-add a new authenticator method to do this, using a phone number instead of the Authenticator app.

Source (user TPythag): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/ios-login-error-ms-teams-and-authenticator-app-just-loops/m-p/1351884

I hope this helps!