Microsoft Authenticator not getting notifications

Question

I got a new phone and deleted the Microsoft Authenticator app from my old phone. However I am not getting the notifications to verify to my new phone. However can I switch the app getting the notifications to the one on my new phone. I tried to go to my apps but it also needed a code.

Answer 1

Notifications are still going to the last device where Microsoft Authenticator was registered. Deleting the app from the old phone is not enough; the old device must be unregistered from the account, and then the new phone must be set up as an MFA method.

Because access to My Apps also prompts for a code, use one of these paths depending on what is still available:

1. If the old phone is still available
   1. Reinstall Microsoft Authenticator on the old phone.
   2. Sign in and approve a sign-in request there (notifications are still targeted to that device).
   3. Once signed in, follow the steps in How do I make sure notifications don't go to an old device?:
      • For a personal Microsoft account: go to the two-step verification area of your Account Security page and turn off verification for the old device.
      • For a work or school account: go to the two-step verification area of your My Apps page or your organization’s company portal and turn off verification for the old device.
   4. Then, on the new phone, open Authenticator, choose Add account, select the correct account type, and complete the sign-in/QR-code setup so notifications start going to the new device.
2. If the old phone is not available but another verification method exists
   1. At sign-in, choose Use a different verification method (for example SMS, if configured) as described in the FAQ.
   2. After signing in, remove the old device as above (Account Security / My Apps) so notifications no longer target it.
   3. Install Authenticator on the new phone and add the account again so it becomes the notification target.
3. If no other verification method works
   • For a work or school account, contact the organization’s IT admin and ask them to reset MFA for the account in Microsoft Entra so Authenticator can be re-registered on the new phone.
   • For a personal Microsoft account where no method works, follow the account recovery flow starting from the sign-in page and use the options provided there to regain access, then reconfigure MFA and Authenticator on the new phone.

To avoid this in the future, always:

• Remove Authenticator from old devices via the account’s security/MFA pages, not just by deleting the app.
• Keep the device list up to date in account security settings.

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References:

• Microsoft Authenticator FAQs
• Use a screen reader to set up and troubleshoot multifactor authentication
• Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator