Resetting MFA - New Phone
- Ben Collinge
Resetting the Microsoft Authenticator for a new phone or deleted application
It is important to remember that YOUR MFA DOES NOT TRANSFER OVER TO A NEW PHONE AUTOMATICALLY, even when you use the transfer services to transfer your apps and data.
You will need you old phone to set up your new phone authenticator!
Best Method
On a laptop
Go to aka.ms/mfasetup on your browser
Log in with you student account
It will ask to authenticate, authenticate with your old phone
Go to the Security Info
Select + Add Sign-in Method
Select Microsoft Authenticator from the options
Click next until a QR code appears
On your New Phone
Open the Authenticator app
If your account is already there
Select your account
Select Set-up step 2 verification
If your account is not there
Select Add Account or the + button in the top right
Select Work or School
Select Scan a QR code
Scan the QR code on the computer
Select Next - this ill prompt to go through a test authentication with you.
Remember! Delete the old phone from the list in your security info
This will stop the authenticator going to your old phone.
If you do not have your old phone, please contact the Service desk on servicedesk@runshaw.ac.uk, so we can remove your old phone from the system and resend a set up request to re-set up your MFA.
Alternative Method
This method was recommended by Microsoft but is currently untested by Service Desk, and you will still need your old phone to complete.
Back up your old phone
If you still have your old phone, please follow the instruction below to transfer to a new phone
On your old phone (this can be done at any time before moving to a new phone)
Open Microsoft Authenticator.
Tap the three vertical dots at the top right,
Then tap "Settings."
In the "Backup" section, toggle-On "Cloud Backup" on an Android phone, or "iCloud Backup" on an iPhone.
This will proceed to back up your data.
Setting up New Phone
Open your Microsoft Authenticator
On the opening page, do not sign in or add an account, there should be an option to restore from backup on the same page.
Sign in with the same personal email address
Once you do this, You'll be asked to sign in to the Microsoft account you used for the backup on your old phone.
Your accounts will then automatically be added to Microsoft Authenticator on your new one.
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