Authenticator app does not work

Question

When I try to log in to a school account using this email address: [Moderator note: Personal school email removed], I am asked to approve the sign-in request, but the Authenticator app does not send me any kind of notification to approve it. As a result, I can no longer access my applications that use this email address, such as Teams and Word.

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Moved from: Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator

Answer 1

Hello @alicia brouillard, 

Thank you for posting your valuable question on Microsoft Q&A forum.   

I'm very sorry for the inconvenience you’ve experienced, based on the details you shared. May I ask if you have any alternative method to sign-in besides Authenticator? If yes, please try sign-in using this alternative method. 

 

If you don't have any alternative sign-in method, you'll need to revoke your MFA access, which will allow you to set up Authenticator on a new device and then you can access other Microsoft services (like Teams or Word).  

Could you please confirm that you are the end-user or the IT admin of your organization? 

If you are the end-user, I would recommend you contact your organization account's Admin to reset your MFA settings through the Microsoft Entra Admin Center. 

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If you haven’t yet reached out, here’s a helpful guide to locate your Microsoft 365 administrator: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support  

 

You start by contacting the person who originally provided your account, such as a teacher, school administrator, or IT support staff. If unsure who to reach out to, begin with a teacher or staff member you regularly interact with; they can assist or direct you to the right department. Additionally, use your school’s helpdesk portal, support email, or tech support channel for assistance.  

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Ask your administrator to follow these steps:    

• Go to Microsoft Entra Admin Center: https://entra.microsoft.com  
• Navigate to Users > All Users.  
• Select your user account.  
• Go to Authentication Methods.  
• Click "Require re-register multifactor authentication".  

 

This will reset your MFA settings. The next time you sign in, you’ll be prompted to set up the Authenticator app again using a QR code.  

If you're an IT admin, please check to see if there are other IT admins in your organization who can help you with the reset. 

If you are the only administrator in your organization, this request cannot be handled through the Microsoft Q&A forum due to security and privacy limitations. In this case, you will need to contact the Microsoft Data Protection team, as they are the only group authorized and equipped with the necessary tools and verification procedures to confirm your identity and restore administrator access. 

Please try to find the related hotline number to call the frontline and let them raise a ticket for you: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support 

Please carefully follow this instruction to ask for Microsoft Data Protection team support:   

Depending on your country or region. For some countries, when calling the support number, although there are about 30 seconds opening as something "you can visit the link...." But you can ignore this opening and wait until the option, then "1" as a business email user, "1" again for technical help.   

For some countries, it will be an automated conversation like:    

First, when you call the hotline, it asks what kind of problem you are worried about.   

Answered: authenticator.   

A: What kind of product are you using?   

B: Office 365 for business.   

A confirmation: education or company account?   

B: For companies   

A: Are you an administrator?   

B: Yes.   

A: Do you have the other admin in your organization?   

B: No.   

A: You need one.... Service request?   

B: Yes   

If your organization's Office 365 Business/Education subscription is from a partner or reseller, and the global administrator is unable to open a service request on your end, contact the reseller's support provider to help open a service request on behalf of you instead.   

Please understand that forum moderators have no control over user accounts, especially when it comes to logging in to your account, resetting your password, changing your access, etc.   

I hope you can successfully revoke your access. If you encounter any difficulties in contacting the frontline support, please feel free to let me know. Thank you and I wish you a great day! 

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Answer 2

If you are not receiving notifications from the Microsoft Authenticator app when trying to log in to your school account, here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Check Notification Settings: Ensure that notifications for the Microsoft Authenticator app are enabled in your device's settings. Sometimes, notifications can be turned off inadvertently.
2. Update the App: Make sure that the Microsoft Authenticator app is updated to the latest version available in your app store.
3. Reinstall the App: If the app is updated and notifications are enabled, try uninstalling and then reinstalling the Microsoft Authenticator app. This can help resolve any underlying issues with the app.
4. Alternative Verification Methods: If you have set up alternative verification methods (like a phone number or email), try using those to log in instead of the Authenticator app.
5. Check for Multiple Accounts: If you have multiple accounts set up in the Authenticator app, ensure you are selecting the correct account when prompted to approve the sign-in request.
6. Contact IT Support: If none of the above steps work, consider reaching out to your school's IT support for further assistance. They may need to check your account settings or reset your multi-factor authentication (MFA) settings.

These steps should help you regain access to your applications using your school account.

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References:

• Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication
• You don't receive a text or voice call that contains the verification code for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication