Help with the Authenticator app

Question

I have the Authenticator app downloaded and successfully connected to one account. However, I am trying to connect it to my work email and it prompts me to sign in on the app, but then asks me for a code. I can’t get the code because I am not signed in yet. There doesn’t seem to be another option because when I select “sign in another way” it still requires a verification code or approving on the app. What do I do?

Answer 1

Hi @Annie Klein

I'm just another user here on this public forum, not your organization's admin, so I'm not able to reset or unlock anything on your account myself. For this one, you'll need to go through your company's IT/helpdesk team.

Registering Microsoft Authenticator for the first time on a work account normally requires an existing verified method to confirm identity before adding a new one. If this is genuinely the first MFA method being set up on the account, there's nothing yet to verify against, which is exactly why "sign in another way" loops back to the same requirement instead of offering an alternative.

The best course of action is to contact your work's IT administrator or help desk, as they manage your account and have the necessary permissions to reset your sign-in methods. 

You can ask them to follow the steps outlined in the Microsoft guide below to revoke your existing MFA registration and require you to register a new authentication method: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID |…    

Thank you for understanding.

Answer 2

This is usually a work or school account MFA setup loop: the account is asking for Microsoft Authenticator approval or a code before the app has been fully registered for that account.

Try these steps in order:

1. On the sign-in screen, select Sign in another way or Other ways to sign in.
   • If another method was already configured for the work account, use it.
   • Available options can include text message, phone call, email, or another app-based method.
2. If the account is not yet added in Microsoft Authenticator, add it from the app setup flow instead of trying to approve a sign-in first.
   • In the Authenticator app, use + Add account.
   • For work or school setup, continue the registration flow by scanning the QR code shown during the security info setup, or use Can’t scan the QR image to enter the code and URL manually if offered.
   • After setup, a test notification should be sent to the app. Approve it to finish registration.
3. If the sign-in page keeps requiring only Authenticator approval or a verification code, and no other method works, the account likely does not have a usable backup method configured.
   • In that case, self-service recovery is limited.
   • Contact the organization’s IT administrator or Help Desk and ask them to help re-register MFA or reset the MFA/security info for the work account.
4. After access is restored, add more than one sign-in method to avoid being locked out again.
   • Go to the security info page for the work or school account.
   • Select Add sign-in method and add other methods supported by the organization.
   • Microsoft recommends having three different sign-in methods associated with the account.

If repeated sign-in attempts were made, Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication can temporarily block more attempts. In that case, wait and try again later, or use a different MFA method if one is available.

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References:

• Set up Security info from a sign-in page
• Sign in to your work or school account using two-step verification
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• Cannot get logged in, cannot get authenticator app to work - Microsoft Q&A
• I would like to connect to my account but the app requires me to enter a code which I can only access if I am connected - Microsoft Q&A