What is Two Factor Authentication / 2FA?
2FA is basically another layer of security on top of your own personal password, this will prompt every time you or someone else try to access your account. This will pop up after you enter your personal password. Using 2FA drastically reduces the chance of your account being hacked.
- Before starting please go to https://aka.ms/MFASetup , it will log in to your email in the web browser before accessing the link. It should redirect you to the webpage below.
- For what’s your preferred option, ideally select ‘notify me through app’ . Please refer to the image below.
- For how would you like to respond? Please select authenticator phone and authenticator app. Please refer to the image below. For your phone number it is advised to use your work phone number not your personal one. This method allows you to get the code via message or the app itself.
It is Highly recommended that you use the ‘Mobile App’ option as the majority of technology services, Internet banking, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. are moving towards this method.
- Click on Set Up Authenticator app to bring up this screen with the QR code – then follow the Setting up the Authenticator App on your phone instructions below .
Setting up the Authenticator App on your phone.
Before you start, make sure Microsoft Authenticator is downloaded on your phone.
- For Android phones
- go to the Play store on your phone, and on the search bar type Microsoft Authenticator. After that, press install/download and wait for it to finish.
- After installing, it would ask you to add your very first account. Choose Work or School account.
- For IOS/Iphone
- Go to the App store and search for Microsoft Authenticator and press GET.
- After installing, it would ask you to add your very first account and choose Work or School account.
Finishing Setup
Once the app is installed, Scan the QR code (from the first section of these instructions!) with your camera
- Click next to finish setup,
- You will get a popup on your phone, click ‘Approve’ to finish.
Alternative sign in methods
The mobile app method is recommended but you can also set up:
- Authentication phone
You will receive a text message occasionally when you sign in, enter the code that you received via text message.
This method is becoming outdated but is still valid
Accessing Your Email
- After you finished setting up everything, the next time you log in it will prompt you to enter a password:
- Then it will prompt you to Approve Sign in… Press ‘Approve’ to access your email.
- Alternatively depending on what you selected when setting up you may be prompted to enter the 2FA code, which you can access by opening ‘Microsoft Authenticator’ app on your phone, choosing your email account, and then put in the code listed beside your email address:
- Finally, if you set a phone in your authentication options you will receive a SMS code to you phone, enter that code to sign in.
