Authenticator app sign in loop

Question

I recently got a new phone and I’m trying to login to apps. Outlook app needs me to verify authentication app number. Authenticator app has not been signed in to. When I go to sign in, it takes me to a new page that says verify number on authorization app. The app is not signed in so it keeps sending me to a page to sign in. But that page tells me to verify number.

Answer 1

Hi @Trent Baker ,

Thanks for posting this question.

The issue appears to be caused by a circular MFA dependency. The account is requesting approval from Microsoft Authenticator, but the Authenticator app on the new phone has not completed registration and therefore cannot approve the sign-in request. This commonly occurs after changing phones when the old Authenticator registration remains associated with the account.

Please consider the following recovery steps - If the old phone is still available, use it to approve the sign-in and add the new device through Security Info. Powered on and connected to internet, approve the MFA prompt using the old Authenticator registration. Now, navigate to Security info (https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info) and add a new sign-in method. Register the new phone and verify sign-in works on the new device before removing the old Authenticator registration. It is recommended not to erase any info or dispose the old phone until sign-in has been successfully verified on the new phone.

If the sign-in page offers "Use another verification method", use that method to complete sign-in and register Authenticator on the new device.

If the old phone is unavailable, attempt to use another verification method (SMS, phone call, security key, or recovery code)

For personal Microsoft account with enabled cloud backup, please select Restore from backup in your Microsoft Authenticator (assuming it is already installed in your new phone). Sign in with the backup account and reconfigure any passwordless or MFA registrations that require re-enrollment.

For work or school accounts where no alternate method exists, an administrator will need to reset the existing MFA registration by requiring MFA re-registration in Microsoft Entra ID. After the reset, you can enroll Microsoft Authenticator on the new device during the next sign-in.

Please also verify that Authenticator is updated, notifications are enabled, and the device date/time settings are correct.

Sharing some article links for your reference:

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/how-to-transfer-authenticator-new-phone
• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/authenticator/troubleshoot-problems-with-microsoft-authenticator

Hope this was helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions.