Approve a Microsoft Authenticator Sign-In Request

Open the Sign-In Request

Keep the sign-in screen open so you can compare it with the request on your phone. After entering your account name, choose the option to send a notification. If needed, select the choice for other sign-in methods, then choose the option to approve a request in Microsoft Authenticator.

1. Unlock the phone that has Microsoft Authenticator registered for this account.
2. Tap the new sign-in request notification. If there is no notification, open Microsoft Authenticator directly.
3. If the app lists several accounts, select the personal, work, or school account shown on the sign-in screen.
4. Look for a pending sign-in request. You may need to unlock Authenticator with the phone’s PIN, fingerprint, or face recognition before it appears.

The exact wording can vary by account and organization. A Microsoft Authenticator approval notification may open automatically, or the request may appear after you select the relevant account.

Approve the Request Safely

Before you approve a Microsoft Authenticator request, make sure you just started the sign-in. Check that the account and requesting app or service are the ones you expected. Review any location or device details shown, but remember that location estimates can be approximate.

1. Read the number displayed on the sign-in screen. Do not use the rotating verification code shown beside an account in Authenticator.
2. Return to Authenticator and enter or select the matching number when prompted.
3. Choose Approve to finish the sign-in.
4. Return to the original screen and wait for it to continue.

When signing in through certain Microsoft apps on the same phone, the prompt may ask for a Yes or No response instead of requiring number entry. Follow the prompt shown for that request. This is how to approve a sign-in request on the Microsoft Authenticator app without weakening the account’s security checks.

If the Approval Prompt Does Not Appear

A missing prompt does not necessarily mean the sign-in failed. Work through these checks, then create a fresh request:

• Open Authenticator manually and unlock it. Select the correct account rather than waiting only for a banner.
• Confirm that the phone has a working Wi-Fi or cellular data connection. Push approvals require connectivity.
• Open the phone’s notification settings and allow notifications for Microsoft Authenticator. Also check Focus, Do Not Disturb, battery-saving, and background-data settings that may suppress alerts.
• Install any available Authenticator update through the phone’s official app store, then reopen the app.
• Set the phone’s date and time to update automatically if they are incorrect.
• Cancel or return from the old sign-in attempt. Start again and choose Send notification only once, because several requests can make it difficult to identify the current one.

If you have multiple accounts with similar names, compare the full account identifier displayed in Authenticator with the one being used to sign in. A request sent to one account will not appear under another.

If Number Matching or Verification Fails

Number matching uses the temporary number on the screen where the sign-in began. It is not the six-digit rotating code inside Authenticator. A mismatch can occur when the request has expired, a newer request replaced it, the wrong account is open, or several attempts are pending.

Cancel the prompt in Authenticator and the original sign-in screen. Begin one new sign-in, keep that screen visible, and enter or select its current number. If the number is hidden after switching apps on an iPhone, the prompt may offer an option to show it again.

If the sign-in page does not display a number, do not guess. Go back and retry the official sign-in flow. You may also choose another verification method offered on that screen, but only if it was already registered to your account. Available alternatives depend on whether this is a personal account or an account controlled by a workplace or school.

For a work or school account that continues to reject verification, contact the organization’s help desk or account administrator through its known internal support channel. They can check registration and access policies. For a personal account, use Microsoft’s official sign-in helper, found through the Support area of Microsoft’s official site.

Recover Access to Microsoft Authenticator

If you changed phones, lost the old phone, deleted Authenticator, or removed its registered account, you usually cannot approve a request until the account is restored or registered again. Reinstalling the app alone does not necessarily restore approval access.

If you previously enabled Authenticator backup, open the newly installed app and choose Restore from backup or Begin recovery before signing in normally. Use the same recovery account and the same device platform type used for the backup. Restored personal accounts may still require another sign-in, while work or school accounts generally need to be verified again.

If another registered verification method appears during sign-in, use it and then review the account’s official security information settings to register the new Authenticator installation. Do not remove an accessible method until the replacement has been tested.

If no verification method is available, use the recovery or sign-in-help choices Microsoft presents. For a work or school account, ask the organization’s administrator to help reset the Authenticator registration. The available process is controlled by the account type and the organization’s policies.

Reject Unexpected Sign-In Requests

Never approve a login request in Microsoft Authenticator that you did not initiate. Do not match its number, even if someone contacts you and claims the approval is needed for support. Select Deny when that option is shown, then close the request.

For a personal Microsoft account, go to Microsoft’s official account site by typing it yourself or using a trusted saved entry. Open the Security section, review recent sign-in activity, and mark unfamiliar activity if that option is offered. Change the password from the official security page and review registered verification methods for anything you do not recognize.

For a work or school account, report the request promptly through the organization’s known security or help-desk channel and follow its instructions. Repeated unexpected prompts can indicate that someone knows the account name and password, so do not treat them as harmless notification errors.