I’m receiving repeated attempts to sign in from my authenticator app

Question

I’m receiving repeated attempts to sign in from my authenticator app! Is my account safe?

Answer 1

Yes—if the sign-in prompt was not initiated, the account remains safe as long as the request is not approved.

What the repeated prompts usually mean:

• Someone may be trying to access the account.
• Someone may have entered the wrong phone number or email by mistake.
• A previously requested prompt may have been delayed.

What to do immediately:

1. Select Deny for any sign-in request that was not initiated.
2. Do not respond to verification codes or prompts that were not requested.
3. If many sign-in attempts were made, wait and try again later, or use a different MFA method if a legitimate sign-in is needed.
4. If the activity looks suspicious, ask an IT administrator to review the Microsoft Entra sign-in logs.

Useful details:

• In Microsoft Entra MFA, users can approve legitimate requests in Microsoft Authenticator or Authenticator Lite in a companion app like Outlook.
• Anomalous sign-ins do not generate notifications automatically; to approve one, open Microsoft Authenticator or Authenticator Lite, refresh, and then approve the request.
• If a mobile device is lost or stolen, sign in using a different method and ask the organization’s Help desk to clear the MFA settings.

If this is a personal Microsoft account, suspicious activity should be reviewed on the Recent activity page, and Secure your account should be selected for anything unrecognized.

---

References:

• Using Outlook mobile to sign in
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• Authentication methods in Microsoft Entra ID - Microsoft Authenticator app
• What is the Recent activity page?