Added a Gmail external user in Azure External Entra Id, but the identity showed Microsoft instead of their mail

Question

Added a Gmail external user in Azure External Entra Id, but the identity showed Microsoft instead of their mail

Answer 1

In Microsoft Entra External ID, the value shown in the Identities property depends on how the guest actually authenticates, not just on the email domain entered when the user is created.

For B2B collaboration users:

• Before invitation redemption: When the Gmail user is first invited, the guest account is created with Identities set to the host’s organization domain. At this stage there are no credentials associated with the guest in the host tenant; authentication will be handled later by the user’s own identity provider.
• After invitation redemption:
  • If the user signs in using a Microsoft account (MSA) associated with that Gmail address (for example, they have previously created a Microsoft account using their Gmail), the Identities property is updated to show Microsoft account.
  • If the user signs in using Google federation (i.e., Google has been added as an identity provider and the user chooses Google on the sign-in page), the Identities property is updated to google.com.
  • If the user uses Email one-time passcode (OTP), the Identities value is mail.

So, if a Gmail external user appears with identity Microsoft (Microsoft account) instead of google.com or their mail, it means they redeemed the invitation using a Microsoft account credential (MSA) tied to that Gmail address, not via Google federation or email OTP.

To have future Gmail users show as google.com in Identities, configure Google as an identity provider and ensure they redeem invitations or sign up using the Google option on the sign-in page.

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References:

• Understand and manage the properties of B2B guest users
• Identity providers for External ID in workforce tenants
• Adding social identity providers
• Introduction to Microsoft Entra External ID
• Microsoft Entra External ID frequently asked questions