How to change my authentication method?

Question

How do I change my authentication method from my phone to my gmail? Thank you.

Answer 1

Dear @Alexander Beaven

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

I understand you want to change your authentication method from your phone to your Gmail account for verification. I'm happy to guide you through this process. 

You can add your Gmail as a new sign-in method and then set it as your default through your account's security settings. 

Here are the steps to follow: 

1. Go to the My Security Info page for your Microsoft account here: https://aka.ms/mysecurityinfo 
2. Sign in with your work or school account credentials. You will likely need to approve the sign-in using your current method (your phone). 
3. Once you are on the "Security info" page, click the "+ Add sign-in method" button. 
   
4. From the dropdown menu, choose "Email". 
   
5. Enter your Gmail address when prompted and click Next. 
6. Microsoft will send a verification code to your Gmail inbox. Check your email, copy the code, enter it on the setup page, and click Next to complete the verification. 

After adding your Gmail, it will appear in your list of sign-in methods. You can then choose to change your default sign-in method to "Email" if you prefer. 

For a detailed, step-by-step guide with images, please refer to this official Microsoft Learn article. It provides clear instructions on how to add an email address for verification: Set up an email address as your verification method - Microsoft Support 

Important note: Since your account is for an educational institution, your school's IT administrator may have specific policies that restrict which authentication methods can be used. If you are unable to add or change your method using the steps above, please contact your school's IT support department directly for assistance. 

I hope this helps you resolve the issue. Please let me know if you have any more questions. 

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