how to set up Microsoft 2-factor authentication token manually in FreeOTP

Muh Muh 15 Reputation points
2025-06-10T15:37:58.8766667+00:00

Please tell me the current, correct way to display the Secret Key for my Microsoft account, so I can set up 2-factor authentication.

The instructions to display the Secret Key that I have read online don't work. They do not match what I see when I access my Microsoft account.

I am using FreeOTP. FreeOTP fails to scan the QR-code, so I have to create the token manuallly.

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  1. Hornblower409 10,735 Reputation points
    2026-06-30T05:18:28.4066667+00:00

    Go to https://account.live.com/proofs and click on Add another way to sign in to your account.

    On the next screen choose "Use an App".

    On the "Set up the Microsoft Authenticator app" page, click set up a different Authenticator app.

    This should get you to a page that displays a QR code. Choose I can't scan the bar code

    This should get you to

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