Can't register new user in Authenticator of a new Entra.ID

Question

Can't register new user in Authenticator of a new Entra.ID

Erik Cherlet 5

Hi,

Recently I created a new Entra ID en some users on a particular domain.

I can create the users/ I checked for the authorisation methods en MFA - Microsoft Authenticator is enabled. Added Microsoft Office 365 licenses but when I want to log in to email/Teams/...

I can log in with the password...I get redirected to log for MFA with my Authenticator app. But after scanning the QR code I get an error and I can't proceed.

Does anybody have an idea, what I am missing here?

Thanks,
Erik

VEMULA SRISAI 9,080 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-16T21:19:59.4333333+00:00
Hello Erik Cherlet,

This issue is usually not related to licenses. In a new Microsoft Entra ID tenant, Authenticator QR registration fails when the Authentication Methods or MFA configuration is incomplete or conflicting.

Please check the following:

Authentication Methods policy

Go to Entra ID → Protection → Authentication methods → Microsoft Authenticator

Ensure it is Enabled and the affected users (or a group containing them) are explicitly included.

Security Defaults vs Conditional Access

Check Entra ID → Properties → Manage security defaults

If Security Defaults are enabled, do not configure Per‑User MFA or partial Authentication Methods policies, as this causes registration failures.

Conditional Access

If Conditional Access is used, ensure no policy is blocking MFA registration.

MFA registration must be allowed for Microsoft Authenticator and Microsoft Registration Service.

User type

Confirm the user is a Member (not Guest), as guests cannot register MFA the same way.

Mobile device checks

Ensure Microsoft Authenticator is up to date

Date & time on the phone are set to automatic

Try registering over a different network (mobile data/home Wi‑Fi)

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/concept-authentication-methods-manage

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/troubleshoot-problems-with-microsoft-authenticator-a3a74493-566b-4c2e-b949-a2789bac0fd3
FIRAT BOYAN 380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2026-02-16T22:55:54.95+00:00

............
VEMULA SRISAI 9,080 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-18T04:30:29.63+00:00

Erik Cherlet I’m following up on my previous comment as I haven’t received a response. Please let me know if you need any additional information or assistance from my side.
Somak Acharya 0 Reputation points

2026-02-18T09:03:22.3666667+00:00

Experiencing very similar problem. Unable to add newly ceated user accounts to the Authenticator for MFA, since tenat has security defaults set. Msoft Authenticator based MFA is needed when a login is required. As soon as I'm scanning the QR code. It's failing "Unexpected error occured! contact your IT