Microsoft Authenticator does not respond

Question

when i try to log in with my atudent email the Microsoft authenticator app does show any codes or notification to approve my sign in

Answer 1

Dear YOLANDA,

Good day, and thank you for reaching out to the Q&A Forum. I understand that you are having an unexpected issue where Microsoft Authenticator is not showing any sign-in codes or notifications when you try to sign in with your student email. As a forum moderator, I genuinely wish I could directly access your account or delve into the backend systems to diagnose and fix this for you. However, our role here is limited to providing general guidance and solutions that can be applied by users. Since this is a school-managed account, the fastest way to resolve this is to contact your school's IT administrator or help desk. From their side, they can

• Require re-register MFA, which will deactivate your current Authenticator method and prompt you to set up a new one the next time you sign in.
• Reset your password. 
• Revoke your active sessions to force a clean re-authentication.

For detailed instructions, please refer to this Microsoft guide: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID. If you don't know who your IT administrator is, please refer to this article: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support 

In the meantime, you can try these checks on your phone while waiting for the admin to help:

• Ensure the phone has an internet connection. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, and confirm Airplane mode is off. Push approvals require internet access, although six-digit verification codes do not. 
• Open Microsoft Authenticator manually and unlock the app. Check whether a sign-in request is waiting inside the app.
• Update Authenticator from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Microsoft does not support Authenticator versions more than 12 months old.
• In the phone settings, allow notifications for Authenticator and disable battery optimization or power-saving restrictions for the app.
• Set the phone’s date and time to automatic. An incorrect clock can prevent authentication. Temporarily disconnect any VPN and attempt the sign-in again.
• On the sign-in screen, select: Sign in another way or I can’t use my Microsoft Authenticator app right now. Then choose a previously registered method, such as a text message, phone call, security key, or verification code. If no alternative method appears, the school administrator must help restore access.
• Do not remove the student account from Authenticator unless another sign-in method works or the school IT team is ready to reset MFA. Removing it could leave the account completely inaccessible.

I know this may not be the answer you were hoping for, and I understand it can be disappointing when the resolution requires admin involvement. Please know that as a forum moderator, pointing you toward the correct, specialized support is genuinely the most effective help I can offer from my position. I truly hope you get this resolved swiftly. Wishing you all the best.

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Answer 2

Try these steps in order:

1. Open Microsoft Authenticator manually and check whether the approval prompt is already waiting inside the app. For some sign-ins, the prompt does not appear as a phone pop-up until the app is opened.
2. In the app, swipe down or tap Refresh to force the sign-in request to appear.
3. Make sure the account in Authenticator is active and not gray/inactive.
4. Check the phone settings:
   • Turn off Do Not Disturb or Quiet mode.
   • Make sure Authenticator notifications are allowed.
   • In Authenticator, go to Settings > Notification Settings and make sure Show notifications is turned on.
5. Make sure the app is unlocked. If Authenticator is locked, the entry box for approval can fail to appear.
6. Check connectivity:
   • Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
   • Make sure Airplane mode is off.
   • If using a VPN, disconnect it and try again.
7. Check the phone date and time and set them correctly or to automatic. Incorrect time can cause notifications to expire or authentication to fail.
8. Update Microsoft Authenticator to the latest version. Versions older than 12 months are not supported.
9. If the sign-in is asking for number matching, open the app and enter the number shown on the sign-in screen.
10. If notifications still do not arrive, remove the affected account from Authenticator and add it again, allowing notifications during setup.
11. If the app was previously used on an old phone, the push notification may be going to that older device. Approve it there if possible, then remove the old device from the account.
12. If available on the sign-in screen, choose another verification method such as SMS or Use a verification code from the Authenticator app.

If this is a school account and the issue continues after these steps, contact the school IT administrator and ask them to reset or re-register the MFA methods.

If an unexpected sign-in prompt appears that was not requested, select Deny.

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References:

• Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator
• Authentication methods in Microsoft Entra ID - Microsoft Authenticator app
• Microsoft Authenticator FAQs
• Using Outlook mobile to sign in
• No notifications for approval or code on MA - Microsoft Q&A
• I can’t log in through my university email in Microsoft’s accaunt - Microsoft Q&A