AI Service Center

Two-factor verification of your work account sign-in requires a combination of your user name, your password, and a mobile device or phone. It's more secure than just a password, relying on two forms of authentication: something you know, and something you have with you. Two-factor verification can help to stop malicious hackers from pretending to be you because even if they have your password, the odds are that they don't have your device, too.

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There are some common two-factor verification problems that seem to happen more frequently than any of us would like. We've put together this article to address the most common problems and some possible fixes.

I don't have my mobile device with me

It happens. You left your mobile device at home and now you can't use your phone to verify who you are. If you previously added another method to sign in to your account, such as your office phone, you should be able to use that method now. If you never added an additional verification method, you'll have to contact your organization's Help desk and have them help you get back into your account.

To sign in to your work account using another verification method

1. Sign in to your account but select the Sign-in another way link on the Two-factor verification page.

   

   If you don't see the Sign in another way link, it means that you haven't set up any other verification methods. You'll have to contact your administrator for help signing into your account.

2. Choose your alternative verification method, and continue with the two-factor verification process.

I lost my mobile device or it was stolen

If you've lost or had your mobile device stolen, you can either sign in using a different method or you can ask your organization's Help desk to clear your settings. We strongly recommend letting your organization's Help desk know if your phone was lost or stolen, so the appropriate updates can be made to your account. After your settings are cleared, you'll be prompted to register for two-factor verification the next time you sign in.

I'm not getting the verification code sent to my mobile device

Not getting your verification code is a common problem and it's typically related to your mobile device and its settings. Some possible things to try:

I'm not getting prompted for my second verification information

If you've signed in to your work account using your user name and password, but haven't been prompted about your additional security verification information, maybe you haven't set up your device yet. Your mobile device must be set up to work with your specific additional security verification method. To make sure you've turned on your mobile device and that it's available to use with your verification method, see the Manage your two-factor verification method settings article. If you know you haven't set up your device or your account, you can do it now by following the steps in the Set up my account for two-step verification article.

I got a new phone number and I want to add it

If you've got a new phone number, you'll need to update your security verification method details so your verification prompts go to the right location. To do update your verification method, follow the steps in the Add or change your phone number section of the Manage your two-factor verification method settings article.

I got a new mobile device and I want to add it

If you've got a new mobile device, you'll need to set it up to work with two-factor verification. This is a multi-step solution:

1. Set up your device to work with your work provided account follow these steps in the Set up my account for two-step verification article.

2. Update your account and device information in the Additional security verification page, deleting your old device and adding your new one. For more information, see the Manage your two-factor verification method settings article.

Optional steps:

• Download, install and set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device by following the steps in the Download and install the Microsoft Authenticator app article.

• Turn on two-factor verification for your trusted devices by following the steps in the Turn on two-factor verification prompts on a trusted device section of the Manage your two-factor verification method settings article.

I'm having problems signing in on my mobile device while traveling

You might find it more difficult to use a mobile device-related verification method, like a text messaging, while you're in an international location. It's also possible that your mobile device can cause you to incur roaming charges. For this situation, we recommend you use the Microsoft Authenticator app, with the option to connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot. For more information about how to download, install, and set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device, see the Download and install the Microsoft Authenticator app article.

I can't get my app passwords to work

App passwords replace your normal password for older desktop applications that don't support two-factor verification. First, make sure you typed the password correctly. If that doesn't fix it, try creating a new app password for the app by following the steps in the Create and delete app passwords using the My Apps portal section of the Manage app passwords for two-step verification article.

I can't turn two-factor verification off

If you're using two-factor verification with your work account (for example, alain@contoso.com), it most likely means that your organization has decided you must use this added security feature. Because your organization has decided you must use this feature, there is no way for you to individually turn it off. 

I didn't find an answer to my problem

If you've tried these steps but are still running into problems, contact the AI Service Center.