Removing authenticator app requirement from our organization

Question

I need to remove the authenticator app requirement from our organization. Our students do not all have access to mobile phones at school to install and use an authenticator app. I am the administrator for the accounts at a k-12 public school. We have an unlimited amount of user I can add and delete. However, when a student tries to log into the app, the setting say more information is required by your organization. Then it requires to download an authenticator app and scan a QR code, etc. Student are trying to log into their accounts in a computer lab and they do not even own cell phones to download an app.

Answer 1

Dear William Shelburne,

Good day!

Thank you for posting to Microsoft Community. We are glad to assist!

Based on your description regarding "Removing authenticator app requirement from our organization". May I please know if you have Admin Privilege?

To remove the authenticator app requirement from your organization, you can follow these steps:

• Sign into the Microsoft 365 admin center (https://admin.microsoft.com/) with your admin credentials-->Show All-->choose Identity under Admin centers
• On Authentication methods policies make sure that Microsoft Authenticator is disabled By clicking on Microsoft Authenticator and make sure that enable is turned off On the warning they give you kindly choose **I Acknowledge-->**Then hit Save button Once you have completed these steps, kindly check if your students should be able to log into their accounts without being prompt to download and use authenticator app. Note: If you are not Admin kindly contact your organization Admin to perform above for you.

We are looking forward to your response! Please feel free to let me know if there are any updates or if I've got you wrong. I will keep assisting you based on the information you provide. We sincerely appreciate your patience and cooperation. Thanks for your precious time. Have a nice day!

Best regards,

Inema | Microsoft Community Moderator

Answer 2

That did not work. I have the multi factor authentication turned off for the whole organization. This behavior only started this school year. I believe it has to do with the MS campaign launched in July. I have tried to locate where I can disable and still can't. I have watch videos and tired through the Azure portal as well with no luck.

By the way, yes, I am the sole admin for our organization with global rights.

Answer 3

Same issue in my org.

I am global admin.

Users are still being required to download MS Authenticator to login to accounts even though all steps listed here have been followed.

Same complaint - many of our users do not have access to cellphones and are unable to login to their email accounts.

Answer 4

Greetings William Shelburne,

Hope you are doing well!

Many thanks for the kind response. May I please confirm Security default is turned off in your organization? To check this kindly Sign into the Microsoft 365 admin center (https://admin.microsoft.com/) with your admin credentials-->Show All-->choose Identity under Admin centers

Kindly click on Overview-->Properties-->click on Manage security defaults-->Make sure that Disable is selected then check if it will make any difference

Kindly note that with security defaults disabled, your organization is vulnerable to common identity-related attacks.

We are looking forward to your response! Please feel free to let me know if there are any questions. I will keep assisting you based on the information you provide. We sincerely appreciate your patience and cooperation. Thanks for your precious time. Have a nice day!

Best regards,

Inema | Microsoft Community Moderator

Answer 5

We're also having the same issue. We do NOT want the authenticator app but would like to keep MFA (text code to cell phone). It should be our choice to use it or not. It should not be forced on us.

I've unfortunately already had to go through the installation of the the authenticator app but followed instructions in another post to disable it. I'm back to using MFA. HOWEVER, it is once again prompting me to "Improve your sign-ins". The option "Not now" is available but the first time around, it eventually stopped giving me that option. Will I again be forced to install the authenticator app? My guess is yes.

I've followed the instructions in this posting, but everything is already set according to these instructions. But I'm still getting the "Improve your sign-ins" prompt when I login.

We all are using MS365 (for non-profits) although most are still using Office 2019. Most are using Office 2019 Outlook but some prefer MS365 Outlook. Eventually everyone will be switched over to using only MS365 with the downloaded apps. I am using MS365 and have installed all the Office apps. I use the Outlook app installed on my laptop but must login to MS365 as an admin at times. It is when I login to MS365 as an admin that the "Improve your sign-ins" prompt occurs.

There should be something that will disable the authenticator app. If there isn't, I would suggest it be created ASAP. We all understand that it may be more secure but changing over to it is going to take time which you are not giving us. We should also have the choice as to whether or not we want to use it.