Authenticator Stuck in Loop

Question

My Authenticator recently stopped working properly. This happened after I switched to a new phone. iPhone 12 to iPhone 14.

When I try to log into my work email, it says I need to use Authenticator to authenticate. When Authenticator pops up…it also asks me to authenticate via Authenticator.

I’m assuming there’s some kind of app refresh or permission that needs to be unlocked.

I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled the app. And I’ve reset my phone. I’ve tried searching the forums, going through Chat, and even calling (which pointed me back to Chat…because MSFT doesn’t support calls??). Nada.

Can anyone help?

Answer 1

Figured it out.

Had to…

1. reinstall the app
2. Log into my MS Office account from my laptop
3. Go to security info
4. Add a new sign-in method for Authenticator

Doing this overwrites the existing work account. And I now have access.

Very much appreciate the help from the community.

Frustrating that I had to burn half a day to figure it out. MS should really provide some level of audio support. Ultimately, it’s a quick solve if you know what to do.

Answer 2

You can restore from backup (assuming there was one) but make sure no accounts have been added to the newly install app. Then sign on with recovery account to do the restore.

You can recover your account credentials from your cloud account, but you must first make sure that the account you're recovering doesn't exist in the Microsoft Authenticator app. For example, if you're recovering your personal Microsoft account, you must make sure you don't have a personal Microsoft account already set up in the authenticator app. This check is important so we can be sure we're not overwriting or erasing an existing account by mistake.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/back-up-and-recover-account-credentials-in-the-authenticator-app-bb939936-7a8d-4e88-bc43-49bc1a700a40

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 3

Ok, well hard to say what might have happened. You can try Sign in to your account but select the Sign in another way link (assumes one was setup) on the Two-factor verification page.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/common-problems-with-two-step-verification-for-a-work-or-school-account-63acbb9b-16a1-47b9-8619-6a865e8071a5

otherwise contact the account admins to reset your account's two factor.

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 4

Restarting my phone worked for me. Hope this helps others.

Answer 5

I encountered this problem on an Exchange account that I have administrator access to (via Microsoft admin panel).

The solution for me was:

(1) Go to admin.microsoft.com and sign into administrator account

(2) Click "Show all" on left side

(3) Click Identity (left side)

(4) Click Users (left side)

(5) Click "All users" (left side, underneath user)

(6) Select the account of the user w/ the problem

(7) Click "Authentication Methods" ( in the column on the left in the new area -- kind of a new middle-left column)

(8) "Revoke Multifactor Authentication Sessions" (from top bar)

(9) "Require re-register Multifactor Authentication" (from top bar)

(10) Now open a new "private browsing tab" (or if the user isn't you, you can have them do it)

a. Go to office.com

b. Begin signin - I suggest picking "use-a-different-authenticator" and using Google, but anyway

c. You'll do the usual scan-the-code procedure to configure Google Authenticator (or Microsoft Authenticator if you're bold)

d. After that user should be good to go signing in on their iphone