The next time you open Microsoft Authenticator to log in to a device, you could be met with a new interface. Microsoft is rolling out a change that requires you to enter a number manually rather than tapping one of three options.

The update first appeared for enterprise and education users, but it has since started rolling out to personal Microsoft accounts. We've seen the new prompt appear on a personal device, suggesting the rollout is in progress.

At first glance, you may think that the change makes Microsoft Authenticator 33 times more secure. That would be true if malicious actors were hacking into accounts by guessing the number that appeared.

Before the change, there were only three options available, giving a theoretical blind hacker around a 33 percent chance of guessing. By requiring a two-digit number to be entered manually, there is only a 1 percent chance of guessing it right.

But attacks centered on multi-factor authentication usually aren't guessing games. Bad actors often spam users with a bunch of prompts to authenticate in the hopes that the user will approve the prompt or guess the correct number.

Accidental approvals are also an issue. With only three numbers appearing on a screen, you could tap the correct number by accident when opening the app or moving the phone around in your pocket.

Requiring a number to be entered manually reduces those risks greatly.

Microsoft has made several changes to its authenticator app to improve security. SMS codes are being phased out as an option for personal Microsoft accounts because they are insecure. SMS-based authentication is the leading source of fraud, explains Microsoft.

The change to requiring manual number entry is more pinpointed than shifting away from SMS-based authentication, but it adds another layer of security.

The update is rolling out gradually, so you may not see it yet.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On the same day Microsoft is cutting off autofill with its Authenticator app, Proton has announced a potential alternative. Proton Authenticator is a free two-factor authentication (2FA) app available on Windows, iOS, Android, macOS, and Linux.

To be clear, Proton already had a password manager called Proton Pass that has been around for a couple of years. Proton Authenticator is a dedicated 2FA app that adds an additional layer of security to your accounts.

But considering the change to Microsoft Authenticator, some people are likely on the hunt for a new authentication app. Proton Authenticator is not a one-to-one replacement for Microsoft Authenticator, but it could be an option for people searching for a new app to secure logins.

Several 2FA apps are available, but Proton has made an effort to make its app stand out. Proton Authenticator is open source, uses encrypted sync, and lacks ads or tracking. It also supports exporting and importing 2FA data.

Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, and Duo support some of those features, but none of them support all of the features highlighted by Proton.

The company also emphasizes that "Proton Authenticator will always be free to use on desktop and mobile apps."

You can download Proton Authenticator for free through the company's website, which will direct you to the appropriate app store for your device.

Passkeys rely on a private key stored on your device and a public key used by websites and services to ensure your identity. They are not vulnerable to many of the methods used to obtain passwords, including data breaches and phishing scams.

You can use Passkeys across a wide range of devices and operating systems. They work with biometric security features, such as face unlock or a fingerprint scan, but they can also support local PINs.

Microsoft is making storing and syncing passwords across devices easier, or at least a bit less complicated. Over the coming months, the tech giant will discontinue autofill within Microsoft Authenticator, its dedicated mobile app for 2FA security keys, app and web passwords, payment information, and more.

I often speak out against features being removed, so it may be a bit surprising to hear me praise the change. However, eliminating autofill within Microsoft Authenticator means that people will only have to use one app on their smartphone to store passwords.

Those who want to continue to use similar autofill functionality will need to use Microsoft Edge on their mobile device. That browser can autofill passwords in other apps, such as banking applications.

A support document outlines the end of autofill support within Microsoft Authenticator and explains how people can transition (or continue to use Microsoft Edge) for autofilling.

Starting next month (June 2025), you can no longer save new passwords in Microsoft Authenticator. The following month, autofill within Authenticator will stop working. From August, saved passwords will no longer be accessible in Authenticator.

Your saved passwords and addresses will be securely synced to your Microsoft account so you can use them in Microsoft Edge. That browser has autofill functionality, so much of your overall experience will remain the same if you use Edge.

Generated password history from Microsoft Authenticator will not be saved, and after July 2025, Microsoft Authenticator will also delete any stored payment information.

Microsoft Authenticator will continue to support passkeys, which are a big part of Microsoft's push toward a passwordless future.

Microsoft is revamping the wallet experience on the desktop within Edge. The Wallet Hub will soon be removed from the browser in favor of a new entry in settings that will handle passwords, personal information, and payments.

The changes to Microsoft Authenticator and the push toward using Edge for password management appear to be connected to the overall shift in Edge.

What you need to know

• Microsoft just released its Seeing AI app onto Android, expanding the app's reach to an additional 3 billion people.
• Seeing AI uses artificial intelligence to help the blind and low vision community.
• The app can perform tasks such as identifying currency, reading handwriting, describing a scene, and guiding a person through a document.

Microsoft first worked on its Seeing AI app as a research project in 2017. It has since evolved into a fully featured app available to the public. Up until now, Seeing AI has only been available for iOS, but it is now available on Android as well. With over 3 billion Android users on the planet, the rollout greatly expands the app's reach.

Seeing AI uses artificial intelligence to help the blind and low vision community. It can perform daily tasks such as guiding someone through a document or menu, recognizing currency notes, and identifying images. To use the app, you can either point its camera or take a photo.

Seeing AI supports 18 languages at the moment, but that number will increase to 36 in 2024.

The following features made their way to the iOS version of Seeing AI and are also on the newly released Android version:

• Richer Descriptions of photos: In addition to providing a brief summary of photos on the Scene channel, you can now tap ‘more info’ and a rich description will be generated, including far greater detail about what is in the image. 
• Chat to your documents: After scanning a document, in addition to hearing it read aloud, you can also chat to Seeing AI to ask questions, such as about items on a menu, the price of an item on a receipt, or to summarize an article. 

Microsoft also highlighted some of Seeing AI's key features for those unfamiliar with the app:

• Short Text: Speaks text as soon as it appears in front of the camera. 
• Documents: Provides audio guidance to capture a printed page, and reads the content aloud, along with its original formatting. Chat with Seeing AI to quickly find information. 
• Products: Scans barcodes, using audio beeps to guide you; hear the name, and package information when available. 
• Scenes: Hear a description of the scene captured and tap ‘more info’ to generate a rich description. Explore the photo by moving your finger over the screen to hear the location of different objects. 
• People: Identify friends around you. 
• Currency: Recognizes currency notes. 
• Colors: Identifies the perceived color. 
• Handwriting: Reads handwritten text like in greeting cards (available in a subset of languages). 
• Light: Generates an audible tone corresponding to the brightness in the surroundings. 
• Images in other apps: Share a photo with Seeing AI to recognize it. 

The video below is from four years ago, but it shows the general concept of Seeing AI.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's Authenticator will now suppress notifications of suspicious logins.
• Attackers will repeatedly try to log in, giving users "MFA fatigue" due to so many notifications.
• If your company allows for simple MFA approval, this can lead to users allowing the MFA to make the notifications stop. 
• This new policy by Microsoft will suppress notifications if they are from unconventional sources.

Microsoft Authenticator is a great app if you need MFA (and you do). If you don't know why MFA is necessary, let me break it down for you. Imagine your account or company's network is a house that can only be accessed through a front door. The front door has a handle with a place for a key but also has a deadbolt that doesn't have a key and must be opened from the inside. Only you can open that deadbolt granting access to the house. Your password is the key to unlock the door handle, and the MFA is the deadbolt. Anybody can steal your password or copy your key, but unless they get access to your physical MFA device (usually your phone), they can never gain access to your account or your company's network. 

Unfortunately, MFA security is lacking, especially in big companies, as Microsoft's Alex Weinart points out in this post.

Why is MFA important?

The "phone call" MFA method is notoriously one of the worst ways to MFA because all it takes is the user to press one button on their keypad to allow an attacker access to their entire company's network, and it is the best avenue for MFA bombing attacks. MFA bombing is when an attacker successfully compromises a user's credentials and begins attempting to log in repeatedly. Each time they do this, it sends an MFA prompt. If this was a notification on your Microsoft authenticator app, that would be annoying, but not nearly as annoying as getting a phone call repeatedly for what could be hours. 

Unfortunately, some users will decide just to approve the MFA, whether it's an MFA prompt over the phone, SMS, or a notification through Microsoft Authenticator where they have to click "yes," it's me logging in. To be clear, if you have an MFA setup for either personal or business use and you receive an MFA prompt that you did not originate from when you log in, somebody has your password, and you should immediately reset it. 

How is Microsoft improving the Authenticator app?

One of the most important things a company can do to remove any chance of an attacker successfully tricking a user into approving an MFA is to implement number matching, as explained in the Microsoft post. How this works is when you log in, a number will appear on the computer screen, and then in the Authenticator app, the user has to input that number. There is no guessing or multiple choice, and the user has no way of knowing the number the attacker has up on their screen. 

However, this doesn't eliminate the issue of MFA fatigue, which is when somebody is getting malicious login attempts from a threat actor, they will continue to get notified by the authenticator app of the logins. 

The post continues to ensure that the login requests are still in the app, and if, for say, you are traveling and the app thinks it is a suspicious login attempt because you are in a new location, you can still log in to the app and manually approve the MFA prompt. This is a nice feature, and as Microsoft has recently decided to revamp their security through AI and other methods, this is likely a push as part of that effort to make security smarter and not harder on the users. 

Overall, this is a good change. It doesn't hurt anybody, and if a company has passwordless authentication set up and all an attacker needs is an email or username to send MFA prompts, this is likely a welcome improvement. Microsoft boasts, "We've prevented  more than 6 million passwordless and MFA notifications since the deployment began." This change was implemented near the end of September, which is quite a lot of volume in just over a month. 

If you're interested in cybersecurity or want to learn more about MFA security and its implementation in Microsoft Entra (previously Microsoft Azure Active Directory), check out this resource from Microsoft. 

Do you use Microsoft authenticator? Does your company use number matching? Let us know in the comments. 

What you need to know

• LastPass users have been locked out of their vaults after an authenticator app reset.
• The reset was designed to implement planned security upgrades.
• LastPass has highlighted the reset process in a support document.
• Locked-out users can't raise tickets to the company's support team since they need access to their accounts first.

Several LastPass users have taken to social media platforms to express their frustrations over the inability to access their login credentials and usernames. The issue dates back to as early as May this year when users were requested to reset the application, as highlighted by BleepingComputer. 

LastPass indicated that the prompt to reset multifactor authentication (MFA) apps like the Microsoft Authenticator was in place to implement planned security upgrades scheduled for May 9. The company added that the upgrade was designed to "increase the password iterations and force a re-sync of all users' MFA."

While speaking to BleepingComputer about the said change, LastPass indicated:

After the change was implemented, several users indicated they could not access their vaults and had been locked out of their accounts. An aggrieved user indicated they couldn't receive verification emails, often used to gain access to LastPass vaults. The user also indicated that it was impossible for them to raise a ticket raising the issue to the support team since they needed to have access first.

As highlighted by affected users, attempts to access LastPass have rendered their efforts futile. Instead, they keep on getting a prompt to reset their MFA authenticator.

Over at LastPass' community forums, the issue seems more widespread. For instance, in the thread, a concerned user has highlighted an instance where they were able to use their master password and even update their MFA, but still, they were still denied access.

On June 27, 2023, LastPass shared a support document on its website under the FAQs section. It's designed to help users navigate the reset process and highlight its importance. The company further highlighted that it had sent in-app messages to its users "several weeks" before implementing the change. As such, if you don't use the app and have also unsubscribed from emails, you might have missed the notification highlighting the change.

Consequently, failure to follow the reset process, as highlighted in the support document, could be the main reason why most users can't access their information via the app.

The company spokesman cited that despite lobbying early campaigns highlighting this change, many users still haven't made the reset. To this end, it's unclear what extra steps LastPass will take to remedy this situation. However, in an advisory, the company indicated that:

"You must log in to the LastPass website in your browser and re-enroll your MFA application before you can access LastPass on your mobile device again. You cannot re-enroll using the LastPass browser extension or the LastPass Password Manager app."

What you need to know

• Microsoft Authenticator will no longer work on Apple Watch as of January 2023.
• The change will occur because watchOS will no longer be compatible with Authenticator security features.
• Microsoft Authenticator will continue to work on other devices, such as Android phones and iPhones.

If you use an Apple Watch, you'll have to find a new way to use Microsoft Authenticator. Following an upcoming release in January 2023, there will no longer be a companion app for watchOS. The change is due to the fact that watchOS will no longer be compatible with Authenticator security features.

Starting in January 2023, people won't be able to install the Authenticator app on Apple Watch. Additionally, the app will stop working on Apple Watches, so it's not worth keeping installed.

Microsoft explained the move in an updated support page.

"In the upcoming Authenticator release in January 2023 for iOS, there will be no companion app for watchOS due to it being incompatible with Authenticator security features. This means you won't be able to install or use Authenticator on Apple Watch. We therefore recommend that you delete Authenticator from your Apple Watch. This change only impacts Apple Watch, so you will still be able to use Authenticator on your other devices."

While Microsoft Authenticator won't work on Apple Watch as of January 2023, it will continue to be available on smartphones and other devices, including Android phones and iPhones.

If you'd like to get ahead of the curve and remove the Microsoft Authenticator app now from your Apple Watch, you can follow these steps outlined by Apple:

1. Press the Digital Crown to see all your apps on the Home Screen.
2. Touch and hold the display until the View Options screen appears.
3. Tap Edit Apps.
4. Tap the delete button on the app that you want to remove, then tap Delete App to confirm. Not all built-in apps can be removed. Apps that you can't delete don't show the delete button.
5. Press the Digital Crown to finish.

What you need to know

• Microsoft has enhanced its Authenticator app to take password management and security to the next level.
• Now, with the power of Microsoft Autofill, you not only can skip the burden of remembering your password, but you don't even have to make the thing.
• Autofill is currently available in Authenticator.

Making and maintaining passwords is the worst, isn't it? Sometimes they need to have a bizarre mix of symbols and capital letters, or be 32 characters long, or have some other eccentricity that makes them borderline impossible to create and remember. And if you fail to sign in enough times, then you end up in a situation akin to that one time Dunkey had to deal with CAPTCHA. You want to avoid that situation, as well as all password headaches, and Microsoft knows it; that's why it's introducing Autofill for its Authenticator app.

Autofill is available right now. It's a new tool in Authenticator that will save you the trouble of creating a password by making one for you. It will make the password, remember it, type it for you, sync it across devices so you don't have to futz with signing in anywhere... the tool will essentially replace you, the human being. You will become irrelevant to your own login details.

The Autofill generation feature is comprehensive and lets you adjust parameters such as your password's length, as well as whether it'll have letters, numbers, and/or special characters.

And in case you want Microsoft in control of even more of your password activities, don't forget Edge Canary's been testing an "autosave passwords by default" option.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Authenticator now supports syncing addresses and payment information.
• You can use Microsoft Authenticator on iOS and Android devices.
• Microsoft Authenticator already supported storing and syncing passwords.

Microsoft Authenticator can now store and sync your payment information and addresses across devices. Microsoft's Vishnu Nath announced the new functionality in a Windows blog post. Once you set up the app, Microsoft Authenticator can autofill your payment information and addresses on iOS and Android devices.

Microsoft Authenticator already had the ability to sync and autofill passwords. With the addition of payment information and address support, the app is now a more robust option for filling out forms on the web. Autofill data is encrypted on devices and in the cloud when synced across hardware. To use Microsoft Authenticator to autofill payment information, people need to use a biometric security option, such as a fingerprint.

"Let Autofill securely save your address or payment info for you so you don't have to type it again or make any mistakes in getting your important packages delivered," says Microsoft's blog post. "Your addresses will sync across devices and can be filled automatically, including on your desktop devices using Microsoft Edge or the Microsoft Autofill Extension on Google Chrome."

Android and iOS support autofilling forms on the web. A support document explains how to set up Microsoft Authenticator as an autofill provider.

The Chrome Web Store also has a Microsoft Autofill extension that supports addresses and payment information.

What you need to know

• A fake Microsoft Authenticator extension appeared in the Chrome Web Store.
• The extension was available for almost a month before it was taken down.
• The fake extension prompted people to fill out information on a Polish webpage.

Microsoft Authenticator is a great tool to improve the security of your accounts with two-factor authentication. Unfortunately, scammers tried to utilize the good name of Microsoft Authenticator to trick people into sharing personal information. Recently, a fake Microsoft Authenticator listing was spotted in the Chrome Web Store by gHacks. It has since been taken down, but managed to remain in the Chrome Web Store for almost a month before its removal.

The fake listing was not from Microsoft. Instead, it said it was offered by "Extensions," which is a clear red flag that it is not genuine. The extension also had some positive reviews that were likely fake and used to make the extension look genuine.

As you would expect from a fake extension, it cannot actually be used to authenticate Microsoft account sign-ins. Instead, it has a button that redirects you to a Polish page asking for you to create an account.

The fake Microsoft Authenticator extension had 448 users and a three-star rating before its removal, as highlighted by gHacks. It first arrived in the Chrome Web Store on April 23, 2021, which means it was up for almost a month before being removed.

A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to The Register that "Microsoft has never had a Chrome extension for Microsoft Authenticator." Adding that "The company encourages users to report any suspicious extensions to the Chrome Web Store."

Google has not replied to requests regarding how the fake listing managed to appear in the store and to not be removed for nearly a month.

What you need to know

• Microsoft announced autofill capabilities for passwords across several platforms.
• Microsoft Authenticator now supports autofilling passwords on iOS and Android.
• You can also autofill passwords with the new Autofill extension from Microsoft.

Microsoft continues its crusade against people having to type out their passwords. Today, the company announced that autofill is rolling out to Microsoft Authenticator for iOS and Android and announced an Autofill extension for Google Chrome.

To start autofilling passwords with Microsoft's tools, you need to save passwords under your Microsoft account. You can do this in a few ways, including having passwords saved on Microsoft Edge.

If you don't use Microsoft Edge, you can use Microsoft's new Autofill extension instead. The extension lets you autofill and save passwords through your Microsoft account while browsing on Google Chrome.

Once you have passwords saved, you can then use Microsoft Authenticator to autofill passwords. When you go to a site or an app that requires a password that you've already saved, Authenticator will offer to autofill it.

Microsoft also added the ability to import passwords into the Authenticator app from CSV files or directly from Chrome on Android. We spotted these features on Microsoft Authenticator beta earlier this week, but Microsoft outlines them further in its blog post.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Authenticator beta now lets you import passwords from CSV files or directly from Chrome.
• These features make it much easier to bring over passwords stored in other apps.
• Microsoft Authenticator beta gained password management features in December 2020.

Microsoft Authenticator beta has a new feature that lets you import passwords from Comma Separated Values (CSV) files or directly from the Chrome browser. The new feature is rolling out to the beta versions of the app for iOS and Android and makes it significantly easier to import files that people have saved within other apps.

Microsoft Authenticator is a free app that allows you to use two-factor authentication (2FA) with code generation and on-device notifications. It already has some handy features, such as cloud-backup, app security lock, and limited screen capture, but Microsoft has recently expanded its capabilities.

At the end of last year, Microsoft Authenticator beta gained support for password managerment, including autofill ability and syncing and managing passwords. That feature was in A/B testing in December and doesn't appear to be generally available yet.

With support for importing passwords from CSV files or directly from the Chrome browser, there's less of a hurdle to jump to switch over to Microsoft Authenticator. If you have long and secure passwords across several sites, it can take some time to set them up within an app like Microsoft Authenticator.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Authenticator is gaining the ability to store and autofill your Edge passwords.
• Spotted in early November, the feature now seems to be rolling out to more beta users.
• For many, this feature will let them ditch Enpass, LastPass, and other paid password managers.

Microsoft Authenticator is a free and essential app used for two-factor authentication (2FA) with code generation and on-device notifications. The app is available on iOS and Android, geared towards consumers and enterprise with some excellent features like cloud-backup, app security lock, limited screen captures, and more.

Interestingly, the app also now appears to be gaining the ability to sync – and manage – your passwords from the Edge browser, including autofill ability.

The new feature is in early testing in the beta apps for iOS and Android (A/B testing). It was initially spotted in early November, but now seems to be rolling out to more users.

The concept is simple. If you use Microsoft Edge browser on your desktop, laptop, or phone, and you choose to save your passwords to it, those passwords can now populate in Authenticator (with your permission).

Currently, on Edge for PC, users can manage their passwords through Settings > Profiles > Passwords, including security notifications if your password has been leaked. But there is no separate app to do so, unlike services like Enpass, 1Password, or LastPass.

The feature is a creative expansion of Microsoft's continued push to offer seamless feature parity between iOS, Android, and PC. It also makes switching away from paid services for password managers that much easier. The ability to enable auto-fill, where Authenticator will populate your login information to your mobile browser, is especially useful.

No word on when this feature will roll out to the public, but it's clear that between Authenticator's password sync and Edge's ability to sync open tab history that Microsoft is flipping the switch on cloud syncing. It's been a long time waiting, but it seems to be worth it.

You can read more about Authenticator from Microsoft's dedicated page. And you can learn more about all Microsoft's iOS and Android beta apps in our guide.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Authenticator may soon be able to manage your passwords.
• The beta version of Microsoft Authenticator has an option to auto-fill passwords now.

Microsoft Authenticator may soon support password management on iOS. The app already allows you to unlock accounts using two-factor authentication, but the ability to manage and autofill passwords would make it much more useful. The Spanish blog Microsofters saw the new functionality working on a beta version of Microsoft Authenticator, so it seems likely that it will be available soon.

Right now, you can attempt to enable Microsoft Authenticator to auto-fill your passwords on iOS, but you'll be hit with a "Coming soon" notification. On the beta version of the app, you'll see a "Passwords" page that contains passwords saved on your Outlook account.

If you go through Settings on your iPhone, you can replace iCloud with Microsoft Authenticator.

Protect your Microsoft account with two-step verification – here's how

For people that already use Microsoft Edge as their browser of choice, having passwords saved to the browser automatically sync to iOS could be very useful. It could also allow Microsoft Authenticator to replace iCloud password syncing, which is limited to iOS and macOS devices.

The new feature appears to be rolling out gradually to beta users on iOS.

What you need to know

• You can now change your Microsoft account settings within the Microsoft Authenticator app on iOS.
• The latest update for the app allows you to tweak settings without having to use a browser.
• The same features were in TestFlight recently.

The Microsoft Authenticator app for iOS recently gained the ability to change settings for your Microsoft account. The update allows you to change your Microsoft account password, update your security information, and view your recent activity directly within the Microsoft Authenticator app. These options make it easier to manage your account because you no longer have to jump onto a browser to tweak your security settings.

The same options became available to beta testers through TestFlight last week, and have now made their way to general availability. When you tap on your accounts within the app, they expand to a full-screen view, which lists more options for your account. This area contains the new security options, as well as other information like your one-time passcode. Here's the complete changelog that brings the app to version 6.4.1:

When the new security options went through TestFlight, they were only available for personal Microsoft accounts. Microsoft stated at the time that they would bring support for Azure AD in the future, though it provided no specific timeline.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Authenticator beta testers on iOS can try out some new account settings.
• The latest update lets you tweak security settings, change your password, and more.
• The new features are available for Microsoft accounts and may eventually come to Azure AD accounts.

The Microsoft Authenticator app for iOS has some handy new account setting features on the way. The latest update available to beta testers via TestFlight adds the option to change your Microsoft account password, update security info, and view recent activity on your account. All three options make it possible to accomplish tasks that would otherwise require going to your account dashboard in a browser.

"The Microsoft Authenticator app keeps you informed about what's going on with your account, by sending security notifications to your personal Microsoft account—making it easy for you to manage your account," Microsoft said in a Tech Community post announcing the new features. "This update provides you with even more options."

Tapping on your accounts will now expand them into a full-screen view where you can see more options for the account you tapped. That full-screen view is where you'll see things like whether you have phone sign-in enabled, your one-time pass code, and the new account options.

For now, Microsoft says that these account settings are available only for personal Microsoft accounts. "We are working to make them available for Azure AD as well, but before we turn them on, we want to make sure IT admins can choose which options are available in the app," Microsoft says. There's no timeline on when Azure AD support might be added.

These new features are only available to beta testers for now through the TestFlight program. However, they should be available to all Microsoft Authenticator users in the coming weeks.

What you need to know

• Microsoft Authenticator gained a backup and recovery feature.
• The feature makes it easier for users who switch to a new device.
• Microsoft Authenticator allows users to use two-factor authentification using their phone.

Microsoft Authenticator now supports backup and recovery to ease the hassle of switching to a new device. You can backup and restore all of your accounts when you switch to a new device, saving the time it would require to set accounts up again. Microsoft Authenticator supports Microsoft accounts as well as Amazon, Dropbox, Google, and Facebook, so some users will have a large collection of saved accounts.

Microsoft Authenticator is a two-factor authentification app that allows you to confirm logins using your phone. After setting up an account, notifications will be sent to your phone to verify logins. You then use a fingerprint, face ID, or PIN to verify your identity. The app also works with multi-factor authentification. The full description of the feature is on the app's store listing:

Two-factor authentification is required in many situations and is recommended even when not required. It adds a second layer of security and can help prevent hacks and security issues.

Updated September 11, 2018: After a short preview period, the Apple Watch companion app is now available to everyone with the latest update to the Microsoft Authenticator app on iOS. The original story follows.

Microsoft Authenticator already has a presence on iOS and Android, and now it's preparing to expand to your wrist. Microsoft announced today that it is launching an Authenticator companion app on Apple Watch, allowing you to approve sign-ins without pulling your phone out of your pocket.

The app is currently available in a public preview via Apple's TestFlight program. Once set up, Microsoft Authenticator will relay notifications to approve logins to your Apple Watch. You can then approve sign-ins with a tap.

In terms of security, Microsoft explains that it still considers the watch setup to be a form of two-step verification because you have to unlock the Apple Watch with a PIN when you first put it on.

If you're curious, you can test out Microsoft Authenticator for Apple Watch with your Microsoft person, work, and school accounts by signing up for the TestFlight program now. As for a release timeline, Microsoft says it expects to release the app to general availability "within the next few weeks."

Microsoft is bringing a new backup and recovery feature to its Authenticator app for iOS. The company announced today that the feature, which will help you keep from getting locked out of accounts when switching devices, is now in beta testing and will be rolling out to everyone in the coming weeks (via Neowin).

The new setting will live as a toggle under the "Backup" section of the Settings menu. Once toggled on, your account credentials will be encrypted with your personal Microsoft account and then the encrypted backup will be stored with your iCloud account. From there, you'll be able to easily recover your account credentials on a new device by selecting "Begin recovery" in Authenticator and signing in with the same Microsoft and iCloud accounts.

Microsoft says that the account backup and recovery feature will be coming to the Android version of Authenticator as well, but there's no timeline for its arrival as of yet. In the meantime, Microsoft Authenticator beta testers and iOS can try the feature out now. If you're not a beta tester, you can sign up to be a part of the limited TestFlight program. Otherwise, expect the feature to roll out for everyone at some point in the coming weeks.

See at App Store

Microsoft is taking a shot at passwords with its latest feature for the Microsoft Authenticator apps on iOS and Android. Rolling out now for all Microsoft accounts, phone sign-in will let you approve a login for from your phone with a single tap.

Once enabled for your account, trying to log into your Microsoft account with prompt a notification on your phone. From there, you can tap "Approve" or "Deny" to allow or reject the login. This essentially eliminates the need to enter a password when attempting to log in, using physical access to your phone for security instead.

Here's how to set things up, from Microsoft (via MSPU):

• If you already use the Microsoft Authenticator for your personal account, select the dropdown button on your account tile, and choose Enable phone sign-in.
• If you are adding a new account on an Android phone, we'll automatically prompt you to set it up.
• If you are adding a new account on an iPhone, and we'll automatically set it up for you by default.

Ultimately, this should be easier to use than the usual two-step verification. Despite not needing a password, logging in still requires a second, physical element that is locked down by either a PIN or fingerprint.

Again, this currently only applies to the Microsoft Authenticator apps on Android and iOS, which you can snag from Google Play and the App Store now.

Updated April 19, 2017: In a further update to its announcement, Microsoft noted that is focusing on iOS and Android first, but it will evaluate adding phone sign-in support to the Microsoft Authenticator apps on Windows Phone in the future:

• Download Microsoft Authenticator at the App Store
• Download Microsoft Authenticator at Google Play

Microsoft has rolled out a new Authenticator app to the Windows Store, as spotted by Windows Blog Italia. Build for mobile devices, this new app is set to replace a number of other authenticator apps to make it more convenient to manage multiple accounts all within a single solution.

Update: By some reports, this update is only working for those on Redstone 2 Insider builds

This new app replaces the Microsoft Account, Azure Authenticator, and Multi-Factor authentication apps. Interestingly, it does appear to be a slightly different and less visually appealing offering than the Authenticator app for Insiders. Hit the link below for more details and be sure to hit us up in the comments as to how you're getting on.

Download Microsoft Authenticator from the Windows Store

Microsoft has updated its Authenticator app for iOS, adding in push notifications for personal Microsoft Accounts.

Here's what's included in the new 4.1.0 version of the iOS app:

The Windows 10 Mobile version of Microsoft Authenticator, which is still in beta, already has push notification support.

Thanks to Libby Brown for the tip!

• Download Microsoft Authenticator for iOS
• Download Microsoft Authenticator from the Windows Store

The Microsoft Authenticator beta app for Windows 10 Mobile has been updated. The two-factor authentication app now allows users to add other online accounts, such as Facebook, Google and others although the QR scanning ability via the camera is only partially implemented at this time.

The new version number of the app is 1.1.28.0. There does not appear to be any other new features in this version, but if you spot any, please let us know in the comments. Keep in mind the app is still in beta and can only be downloaded for Windows 10 Mobile Insider preview builds in the Fast, and possibly Slow, update rings (aka Redstone builds).

Not familiar with how two-factor authentication works? Read our tutorial on how to enable 2FA and why you should be using it.

Thanks to Daniel for the tip!

• How to set up two-step verification on your Outlook and Microsoft Accounts
• Download Microsoft Authenticator for Windows 10 Mobile

It looks like Microsoft is letting free its brand-new two-factor authentication (2FA) app for Windows 10 Mobile. Microsoft Authenticator has been listed in the Store for a while but only as a private beta for internal testing. Now, it looks like anybody can download and start using with the one caveat that you need to be on Windows 10 Mobile 'Redstone' and not Production or Release Preview Insider rings.

The app, which is still in development, will eventually let users unlock their Windows 10 PCs running the Anniversary Update via Bluetooth (aka presence) detection. That feature is not yet available as far as we can tell.

However, users can begin to use the two-factor authentication aspect where the app either generates a code or receives a push notification that users can Approve or Deny without having to launch anything. A similar service is already available on Android (but not iOS) for Microsoft Account authentication.

To use the app, you just install and connect it to your Microsoft Account. Once completed the app will generate temporary authentication codes to be used when logging into your account on the web or with apps that utilize Microsoft's login system. The app even utilizes Windows Hello for initial authentication, which is a nice touch for those with a Lumia 950 or Lumia 950 XL.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update due later this summer has many new features built around push notifications, and it is likely that you need the OS due to some new background driver implementation.

Overall, the Authenticator app looks like it is off to a great start, but there are still some areas that need to be completed e.g. Settings.

Not familiar with how two-factor authentication works? Read our tutorial on how to enable 2FA and why you should be using it: How to set up two-step verification on your Outlook and Microsoft Accounts.

Download Microsoft Authenticator for Windows 10 Mobile

Grab the app now and let us know what you think. Remember, you need to be on Windows 10 Mobile RS1 builds aka Insider Fast Ring (and likely Slow Ring too).

Big thanks to Geoff C., for the tip!

In January it was revealed that Microsoft was working on a Windows 10 authenticator app for mobile devices that would allow users to just tap on their PC to open it, via a Bluetooth connection. Now, that app has a listing in the Windows Store, but it's not available to download yet for the general public.

As shown by WalkingCat on Twitter, the app has the name "Phone Sign-in Beta" but it contains the same description as the leak revealed in January:

Again, the app is not available to download yet for the general public, but the fact that it is in the Windows Store means that the app might be getting close to a launch.

While Microsoft may have shut down a number of older apps over the past few months, the company is reportedly busy working on new ones for both Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. Two sites reportedly have some inside info on three such apps, including one that has been designed to help Windows Phone 8.1 device owners upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile.

WMPU has posted information on the upgrade advisor app, which has not officially been confirmed by Microsoft. Their story states that it has been created to inform Windows Phone 8.1 device owners if their smartphone can in fact be upgraded to Windows 10 Mobile. If it can, the app can also help with freeing up internal storage space so the upgrade can proceed.

Sister site Microsoft-News.com has posted word on two more upcoming Microsoft-developed apps. One is designed to help track package deliveries, while the other is a remote PC authenticator. Here's the company's description for that latter app.

Keep in mind that all of these apps have not been officially confirmed by Microsoft as being in development. It's also possible that the company could decide not to release one or more of these apps to the public.

Source: WMPU; Microsoft-News.com

Two-step authentication, the process whereby you use more than just a password to verify an account, is increasingly an important security tool desired by not just enterprise but consumers. Google has had with Gmail for a few years now, and Microsoft is on the cusp of releasing their version as well.

LiveSide.net is reporting that the service will be integrated into existing Microsoft Accounts (Outlook.com, Hotmail, etc.) though those with linked accounts may have to un-link and the re-link them to get it to work.

Interestingly, the app for this feature is already on the Store for all Windows Phone devices (7.x and 8), and it will serve as the conduit to generate these codes. For those who use Gmail, you may be used to having “verification codes” texted to you, which can be problematic if traveling or switching SIMs (Google does provide fallbacks though). With the Authenticator app, once linked to your account you will be able to generate security codes for account access which will then be verified for by Microsoft before you can login from a non-trusted PC.

The whole system seems quite easy to use (once it goes live), and it should bring Microsoft up to speed with those who demand more in security than a simple password.

You can download the Authenticator app for Windows Phone here, though without the corresponding service enabled by Microsoft on your Account, it’s of little use at the moment.

Source: LiveSide.net

For all you World of Warcraft or Starcraft II basement dwellers who've been yearning for an "official" Battle.net Authenticator, good news as you can go and grab it now:

Rumor has it it's as good if not better than the iPhone/Android versions. There are two other third party authenticators in the Marketplace, one from Velocity Studios ($0.99) and Robert Garfoot (free). Since we don't use Blizzard for, well, anything, we'll leave it to you to discern the finer points. Version 1.0 came out three days ago and version 1.1 just went live today, so support seems to be pretty solid.

You can grab it here in the Makretplace or check our Blizzrd's blog. (Thanks, William R., for the heads up)