Authenticator app

Question

I have tried to 'enrol' in Authenticator App through the UK 'Patient Access' portal because it keeps asking me to do so, but I cannot understand what the Authenticator app wants me to do after I have entered the asked for information nor how to use the app once I have got through the incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo!

I am 78 and have been using computers daily for business and social purposes for over 50 years but I am now finding them so complicated I can no longer understand half of the junk it fires at me. There are an overwhelming number of tricksters imposing themselves on websites trying to divert me to their sales pitch. I don't really understand the questions below this enquiry box. I have not chosen a 'Child' to go with the 'Parent' so my query will not post.

What does 'Discuss the Q & A site' mean. I don't want to discuss the site, I want an answer to my question / problem !

Answer 1

Microsoft Authenticator is a security app that helps prove identity when signing in, usually as part of two-step verification or passwordless sign-in. It is separate from the Q&A site and from the “Patient Access” portal, but some websites and services use it to confirm that the correct person is signing in.

Key points about how it works and what it expects:

1. Internet connection
   • For push notifications (where a prompt appears asking to approve a sign-in), the phone must be connected to the internet (Wi‑Fi or mobile data).
   • For 6‑digit verification codes, the app can generate codes even when the phone has no signal or data.
2. What the app may be asking for during setup When a site (such as Patient Access or a Microsoft site) asks to “set up Authenticator,” it typically expects one of these flows:
   • Show a QR code on the website, then:
     1. Open Microsoft Authenticator on the phone.
     2. Choose to add an account.
     3. Select the type of account the site tells to use (for example, “Work or school account” or “Personal Microsoft account”).
     4. Use the app to scan the QR code shown on the website.
   • Or, enter a code from the website into the app if scanning isn’t offered.
   If the app shows messages that are unclear or the QR scan doesn’t work, the official guidance is to make sure the app is updated to the latest version and then try again. If QR scanning still fails, reinstalling the app and repeating the setup from the website may be required.
3. If no notification appears
   • If expecting a push notification but nothing appears:
     • It may have been sent to Authenticator on a different or older phone where the app was last used.
     • If an older phone still exists, open Authenticator there and check for the prompt.
     • If that’s not possible, choose a different verification method on the sign‑in page (such as SMS text, if the site offers it) and then remove old devices from the account’s security settings.
   • Also check on the phone:
     • Notifications are allowed for Microsoft Authenticator.
     • Battery optimization is not blocking the app.
     • Date and time are set correctly and automatically.
4. If text messages or calls don’t arrive
   • Try up to five times in five minutes to get a text or call.
   • If using any third‑party security app on the phone, temporarily disable it and try again, as it may block verification texts or calls.
   • If text messages are unreliable, using the Microsoft Authenticator app or a phone call method is recommended instead.
5. When completely stuck
   • If the account being protected is a work or school Microsoft 365 account and access is blocked because Authenticator cannot be completed, an administrator for that account can reset the multi‑factor authentication (MFA) settings so Authenticator can be set up again from scratch.
   • If the account is a business tenant and there is only one administrator who is locked out because of Authenticator, Microsoft’s Data Protection team must be contacted via the official customer service phone numbers to verify identity and reset the authentication methods.
6. About the Q&A site wording
   • “Discuss the Q&A site” is just a category label on the Microsoft Q&A community, not something required to use Authenticator.
   • Tags such as “Community Center” or “Get started on Q&A” are only for organizing questions on that forum and do not affect how the Authenticator app works.

If the Patient Access portal is specifically asking to “enrol” with an authenticator app, follow the instructions on that portal’s page to display its QR code or secret key, then add that account inside Microsoft Authenticator using the “add account” option and scan or enter the details it provides.

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References:

• Microsoft Authenticator FAQs
• Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication
• Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator
• How to go passwordless with your Microsoft account
• How to add your accounts to Microsoft Authenticator