Authenticator

Question

Somehow I turn on Authenticator (apparently). I can’t get into my family account to allow my husband to use and set up his outlook email. (He just retired.

pLEASE help!!

Answer 1

To regain access and let the family member set up Outlook, use Microsoft Authenticator as the sign-in method and, if needed, turn off passwordless so that password sign-in works again.

Follow these steps:

1. On a phone, install and open the Microsoft Authenticator app and add the Microsoft account used for the family account.
   • If not already added, sign in to the account in the app and follow the prompts.
2. On a browser (where access is still possible, for example on a PC already signed in):
   1. Go to the Microsoft account Security tab at https://account.microsoft.com/security.
   2. Select Manage how I sign in.
   3. Under Passwordless account, if it is turned On, choose to turn it Off so that password sign-in can be used again.
   4. Approve the request in Microsoft Authenticator when prompted.
3. After that, sign in to the family account normally (with password or Authenticator approval) and add or manage the husband’s Outlook email account as needed.

If the goal is to keep using Authenticator but not be blocked:

1. Keep Passwordless account turned On.
2. When signing in, choose to approve the sign-in request in the Authenticator app instead of entering a password.
3. Once signed in, add or configure the husband’s Outlook account.

Microsoft Authenticator can be used as:

• A backup if the password is forgotten.
• A second factor (two-step verification).
• The only way to sign in (passwordless), where sign-in is approved on the phone instead of typing a password.

---

References:

• How to go passwordless with your Microsoft account
• How to add your accounts to Microsoft Authenticator
• About Microsoft Authenticator
• Sign in using Microsoft Authenticator
• Why can't just use my password anymore to log into my email. been going on for a while.... - Microsoft Q&A