Unsolicited sign-in requests for Authenticator

Question

I have been getting unsolicited sign-in requests to my Authenticator account- sometimes multiple times a day. How can I clear this up?

Answer 1

Dear @Daniel Drance,

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

Based on your description, I understand that you are receiving unsolicited Microsoft Authenticator sign-in requests, sometimes multiple times per day, for login attempts that you did not initiate. You're looking for guidance on why these authentication prompts are occurring and what steps can be taken to stop or reduce them while keeping your account secure.

In most cases, this happens when your email address becomes exposed online, this can occur through past data breaches, leaks from websites you’ve signed up for, or even public listings where your email is visible. Once an email address is out there, it often gets picked up and circulated in large databases that are traded or shared across the internet.

That’s why you may suddenly see repeated sign-in alerts or 2FA prompts even though nothing has happened to your account directly.

I recommend reviewing your recent sign-in activity for any unfamiliar login attempts, ensuring that Microsoft Authenticator with number matching is enabled, verifying that only trusted devices and authentication methods are registered to your account, and changing your password if it has not been updated recently.

If the unexpected prompts continue, depending on your account type:

1-If this is a Personal Microsoft Account: One of the most effective solutions is the alias sign-in method, which is commonly recommended when attackers continue targeting a known sign-in address.

This involves:

• Creating a new Outlook.com alias with a unique name
• Setting the new alias as the primary sign-in alias
• Disabling sign-in permissions for the current Gmail alias
• For your reference: Change the email address for your Microsoft account | Microsoft Support

This prevents attackers from attempting to sign in using the email address they already know while allowing you to continue using the account normally.

2-If this is a Work or School Account: I recommend contacting your organization's IT administrator. They can:

• Review sign-in logs in detail
• Apply stricter security policies
• Help reduce or block repeated authentication prompts
• For your reference: Getting too many authentication attempts on my account - Microsoft Q&A

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going! 

Thank you for your time and patience.

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Answer 2

Unrequested sign-in prompts usually mean either someone is trying to access the account, someone mistyped an email/phone number, or a previously requested prompt is being delivered late.

To clear this up and protect the account:

1. Deny every unrequested prompt
   When an “Are you trying to sign in?” or similar prompt appears that was not initiated, always choose Deny. This prevents anyone else from completing sign-in.
2. Review recent activity on the account
   Go to the Recent activity view via the Security basics page and:
   • Look for unfamiliar sign-ins or security events.
   • For anything not recognized, select This wasn’t me or Secure your account (depending on where it appears).
     This helps block suspicious access and guides through securing the account.
3. Change the account password
   From the Security basics page, select Change password and set a strong, unique password. This is important if there is any chance someone else knows or guessed the current password.
4. Check for unrequested verification codes as well
   If unexpected verification codes are also being received (SMS/email), do not use them. As long as they are not entered, others cannot complete sign-in. See the guidance under Troubleshoot unrequested verification codes for more detail.
5. Consider going passwordless / strengthening sign-in methods
   To reduce reliance on passwords and improve security, consider moving to passwordless methods (such as Microsoft Authenticator, Windows Hello, SMS/Email codes, or security keys) as described in the passwordless guidance. These methods make it harder for attackers to sign in even if they know the username.
6. If this is a work or school account and activity continues
   • Contact the organization’s IT administrator or Help desk.
   • Ask them to review Microsoft Entra sign-in logs and MFA configuration, and to clear or reset authentication methods if needed.
7. If sign-in attempts are very frequent or cause blocks
   Multiple failed or unusual attempts can trigger temporary blocks or “Try another verification method” messages. In that case:
   • Avoid repeated attempts.
   • Try another verification method already configured on the account.
   • If blocked, wait the suggested period (up to a day or more) before trying again.

As long as unrequested prompts and codes are denied/ignored and the account is secured (password changed, activity reviewed, and MFA configured correctly), these attempts cannot successfully compromise the account.

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References:

• Using Outlook mobile to sign in
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account
• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• Why is Microsoft texting me?