Microsoft Authenticator is a popular app that provides an additional layer of security for your accounts. However, some users may have concerns about using the app. Here are some common concerns and their answers:
1. Difficulty adding work or school account: If you are having trouble adding your work or school account to the Microsoft Authenticator app, reach out to your admin and let them know you’re prevented from adding your account to Authenticator because of a uniqueness validation issue. You’ll need to provide your sign-in username so that your admin can look you up in your organization.
2. Security of the app: Microsoft Authenticator is a safe app to use. It is highly recommended to secure your Microsoft account or even non-Microsoft accounts. If you happen to backup your account on Microsoft Authenticator app, you would be able to recover back your account and avoid being compromised by simply installing the Microsoft Authenticator app on your other devices and do the recovery process.
3. Risk of using the app: If a user’s phone, with Microsoft Authenticator installed and configured, is compromised physically or virtually, and the attacker tries to access that user’s email/MS account, couldn’t the attacker easily get into the user’s account using the Authenticator app, since the Authenticator does not require a password? If this is true, wouldn’t it be more secure instead to just use a very strong password and MFA via text? While it is true that an attacker could potentially access your account if they have access to your phone, you can still secure the app by adding a PIN or biometric authentication to unlock the app.
4. Difficulty adding account to Android: In order to use the Microsoft Authenticator App on Android for your work or school account, push notifications for the app must be enabled and Google Play Services and the Google Play Store must be downloaded and enabled. If you still have trouble, check these settings.
5. Inactive accounts listed in Authenticator: Microsoft Authenticator acts as a secure repository for your account credentials to help you authenticate and access various applications conveniently. Authenticator may list inactive accounts that are created by other applications that use Authenticator for single sign-on support. These inactive accounts don’t need any management and can be safely ignored. They are a function of Authenticator that improves your overall sign-in experience.
6. Signal-related problems: If you often have signal-related problems, we recommend you install and use the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device. The authenticator app can generate random security codes for sign-in, without requiring any cell signal or Internet connection.
7. Notifications not working: If you don’t see push notifications in the list session in Authenticator, you can swipe down in the list view to check for pending authentications. You can sign in by using the pending authentication as a workaround. Check if push notifications are turned on for the device and Authenticator.
Does Microsoft Authenticator invade user’s privacy on the phone?
Microsoft Authenticator app does not invade user’s privacy on the phone. The app acts as a secure repository for user’s account credentials to help them authenticate and access various applications conveniently:
1. The app collects user data with their consent and for legitimate interests of Microsoft.
2. The app uses cookies to authenticate users when they sign in to a website using their personal Microsoft account.
3. The app does not collect user’s location data or have access to their phone.
4. When users enroll their device in Microsoft Intune, their organization can’t see their personal information, such as calling and web browsing history, email and text messages, and contacts.
5. However, some users may feel uncomfortable having the app on their personal smartphone.
In conclusion, Microsoft Authenticator is a safe and secure app to use. While there may be some concerns about using the app, there are solutions to these concerns. By following the tips and guidelines provided by Microsoft, you can use the app with confidence and enjoy the added security it provides.