Microsoft 365 et Office | Autres
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Can't enable connexion by phone authenticator
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(60.8, 70%, 15%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EEJ%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Eren Jaeger
0
Points de réputation
Here's the situation: I switched from my old phone, which was a Samsung S21, to a new Galaxy Z 7 Flip. I transferred all my data, including the Microsoft Authenticator app, to the new device. Now, when I try to use my backup email to restore my authenticator accounts, I can retrieve the accounts themselves and get one-time codes, so that part is fine. The problem is that each time I’m asked to enable notification-based sign-in instead of using a password, it throws an error. I've been stuck on this for two hours and it's driving me crazy.
I've tried several troubleshooting steps: I reinstalled the app, deleted and re-added my backup email, removed and re-added the accounts on my old phone, resynced everything, and nothing works. I can get the accounts to show up, but I just can't activate the notification-based sign-in on the new phone.
Microsoft 365 et Office | Autres
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![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(99.2, 28.999999999999996%, 19%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EJ%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
John 10 Points de réputation2025-08-16T00:16:30.3666667+00:00 Step 1 – Prepare Your New Android Device
Before anything else, ensure your phone is ready for push notifications. This alone resolves around 90% of “no prompt” issues.
- Clean Install Microsoft Authenticator
- Uninstall the Microsoft Authenticator app from your phone.
- Reboot the device.
- Reinstall Authenticator from the Google Play Store.
- During installation, do not restore app data from backups.
- Enable Notifications & Background Activity
- Settings → Apps → Microsoft Authenticator → Notifications → Allow all categories (Approvals, General).
- Settings → Apps → Microsoft Authenticator → Battery → Unrestricted.
- Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → Remove Authenticator from “Sleeping apps.”
- Settings → Apps → Google Play services → Notifications → On.
- Disable Do Not Disturb for now.
- Sync Time & Check Network
- Settings → General Management → Date and Time → Enable Automatic date, time, and time zone.
- Temporarily disable any VPN, firewall, or private DNS.
- Settings → Connections → More connection settings → Private DNS → Automatic.
Step 2 – Remove Old Device Registrations
Phone sign-in works on only one phone at a time. You must disconnect the old one completely.
On Your Old Phone (If You Still Have It)
- Open Authenticator → Select each Microsoft account.
- Disable Phone sign-in for each account.
- Remove the accounts from Authenticator.
On a Computer (Security Info Page)
- Visit your Microsoft Security Info page.
- Remove any entries named:
- Microsoft Authenticator
- Phone sign-in
- Old device names used for approvals
- Delete all duplicates.
- Phone sign-in
- Microsoft Authenticator
For work/school accounts, if you can’t remove them, ask IT to:
- Delete existing Authenticator registrations.
- Require MFA re-registration.
- Optionally revoke active MFA sessions.
Step 3 – Re-Register Your New Phone
A) Personal Microsoft Accounts
- Open the Microsoft Security Info page on your computer.
- Click Add sign-in method → Authenticator app → Set up.
- Scan the QR code with your phone: Authenticator → Add account → Personal → Scan QR.
- Approve the test prompt.
- Enable Phone sign-in in the app.
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If enabling fails, delete the newly added method, wait 2 minutes, and repeat.
B) Work/School Accounts (Microsoft Entra ID)
- Go to your Security Info page for your work account.
- Add a new Authenticator app method and scan the QR code.
- Approve the test prompt.
- Enable Phone sign-in if allowed by your organization.
If it’s greyed out or fails, your IT admin may need to enable passwordless login.
Tip: If your organization uses Intune, install Authenticator in the Work Profile via the Managed Play Store.
Step 4 – Reset the Push Notification Channel
If enabling still fails:
- In Authenticator → Menu → Settings → Device registration → Register/Re-register device.
- Clear cache for both Microsoft Authenticator and Google Play Services (do not clear data).
- Disable and re-enable Phone sign-in in Authenticator.
- Re-add the app from Security Info and approve the test prompt.
Step 5 – Samsung/Android Specific Fixes
- Settings → Notifications → App notifications → Ensure Authenticator is allowed for all categories.
- Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → Never sleeping apps → Add Authenticator and Google Play services.
- Settings → Apps → Special access → Optimize battery usage → Disable optimization for Authenticator and Google Play services.
- If you migrated apps with Smart Switch, always perform a fresh install.
Step 6 – Last-Resort Clean Slate
- Remove all Authenticator and Phone sign-in methods from Security Info. Keep SMS or email backup to avoid lockout.
- Uninstall Authenticator → Reboot → Reinstall.
- Add accounts only via fresh QR codes (no backup restore for work accounts).
- Enable phone sign-in from inside the app.
READ How to Set Up Storage Spaces on Windows 11 to Protect Your Data
How to Confirm It’s Fixed
- Sign in on a new device/browser. You should get a number-matching prompt as a push notification.
- In Authenticator, accounts should display “Phone sign-in enabled” without errors.
If It’s Still Not Working
- Personal: Remove all Authenticator entries in Security Info, re-add via QR, re-enable phone sign-in, and recheck notification/battery settings.
- Work/School: Ask IT to reset your MFA registrations and confirm that Microsoft Authenticator push and Passwordless sign-in are allowed.
- If using Intune, ensure Authenticator is installed in the Work Profile and device compliance is met. Step 1 – Prepare Your New Android Device Before anything else, ensure your phone is ready for push notifications. This alone resolves around 90% of “no prompt” issues. 1. Clean Install Microsoft Authenticator
- Uninstall the Microsoft Authenticator app from your phone.
- Reboot the device.
- Reinstall Authenticator from the Google Play Store.
- During installation, do not restore app data from backups.
2. Enable Notifications & Background Activity
- Settings → Apps → Microsoft Authenticator → Notifications → Allow all categories (Approvals, General).
- Settings → Apps → Microsoft Authenticator → Battery → Unrestricted.
- Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → Remove Authenticator from “Sleeping apps.”
- Settings → Apps → Google Play services → Notifications → On.
- Disable Do Not Disturb for now.
3. Sync Time & Check Network
- Settings → General Management → Date and Time → Enable Automatic date, time, and time zone.
- Temporarily disable any VPN, firewall, or private DNS.
- Settings → Connections → More connection settings → Private DNS → Automatic.
Step 2 – Remove Old Device Registrations
Phone sign-in works on only one phone at a time. You must disconnect the old one completely.
On Your Old Phone (If You Still Have It)
- Open Authenticator → Select each Microsoft account.
- Disable Phone sign-in for each account.
- Remove the accounts from Authenticator.
On a Computer (Security Info Page)
- Visit your Microsoft Security Info page.
- Remove any entries named:
- Microsoft Authenticator
- Phone sign-in
- Old device names used for approvals
- Delete all duplicates.
- Phone sign-in
- Microsoft Authenticator
For work/school accounts, if you can’t remove them, ask IT to:
- Delete existing Authenticator registrations.
- Require MFA re-registration.
- Optionally revoke active MFA sessions.
Step 3 – Re-Register Your New Phone
A) Personal Microsoft Accounts
- Open the Microsoft Security Info page on your computer.
- Click Add sign-in method → Authenticator app → Set up.
- Scan the QR code with your phone: Authenticator → Add account → Personal → Scan QR.
- Approve the test prompt.
- Enable Phone sign-in in the app.
If enabling fails, delete the newly added method, wait 2 minutes, and repeat.
B) Work/School Accounts (Microsoft Entra ID)
- Go to your Security Info page for your work account.
- Add a new Authenticator app method and scan the QR code.
- Approve the test prompt.
- Enable Phone sign-in if allowed by your organization.
If it’s greyed out or fails, your IT admin may need to enable passwordless login.
Tip: If your organization uses Intune, install Authenticator in the Work Profile via the Managed Play Store.
Step 4 – Reset the Push Notification Channel
If enabling still fails:
- In Authenticator → Menu → Settings → Device registration → Register/Re-register device.
- Clear cache for both Microsoft Authenticator and Google Play Services (do not clear data).
- Disable and re-enable Phone sign-in in Authenticator.
- Re-add the app from Security Info and approve the test prompt.
Step 5 – Samsung/Android Specific Fixes
- Settings → Notifications → App notifications → Ensure Authenticator is allowed for all categories.
- Settings → Battery → Background usage limits → Never sleeping apps → Add Authenticator and Google Play services.
- Settings → Apps → Special access → Optimize battery usage → Disable optimization for Authenticator and Google Play services.
- If you migrated apps with Smart Switch, always perform a fresh install.
Step 6 – Last-Resort Clean Slate
- Remove all Authenticator and Phone sign-in methods from Security Info. Keep SMS or email backup to avoid lockout.
- Uninstall Authenticator → Reboot → Reinstall.
- Add accounts only via fresh QR codes (no backup restore for work accounts).
- Enable phone sign-in from inside the app.
How to Confirm It’s Fixed
- Sign in on a new device/browser. You should get a number-matching prompt as a push notification.
- In Authenticator, accounts should display “Phone sign-in enabled” without errors.
If It’s Still Not Working
- Personal: Remove all Authenticator entries in Security Info, re-add via QR, re-enable phone sign-in, and recheck notification/battery settings.
- Work/School: Ask IT to reset your MFA registrations and confirm that Microsoft Authenticator push and Passwordless sign-in are allowed.
- If using Intune, ensure Authenticator is installed in the Work Profile and device compliance is met.
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Eren Jaeger 0 Points de réputation
2025-08-16T13:59:49.5+00:00 Hello John, Thanks for your message. Unfortunately, nothing is working.
There’s one strange thing: I deleted everything from my old device. If I reinstall the Authenticator app, add my account, and complete the setup, the notifications do work again on that phone. It even says the setup is complete.
But when I do exactly the same thing on my new phone(of course i have delete everything on the old phone) I get the same issue as shown in the screenshot. It’s really frustrating that I now have to enter my password every time instead of receiving push notifications. :(
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Eren Jaeger 0 Points de réputation
2025-08-15T23:37:39.3166667+00:00 Also, just to add: when I run tests, my old phone still receives all the notifications, but the main problem is that I can’t enable this feature on my new phone, and I don’t understand why.
I’m also including a few screenshots — sorry, they’re in French — but basically, as you can see on the screenshots, there’s a red error message saying: "Action needed: sign in with your username and password to complete the recovery of this account." When I tap on it, it prompts me to enable phone sign-in. I click on that, it does a little loop, and then it says: "An error occurred, please try again." I’m really stuck and don’t know what else to do.
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