Microsoft Authenticator testing account backup and recovery on iOS

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

The new toggle will let you easily recover your account credentials when switching to a new device.

Microsoft is bringing a new backup and recovery feature to its Authenticator app for iOS. The company announced today (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab) 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 (opens in new tab)

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the Editor in Chief for Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. Got a hot tip? Send it to daniel.thorp-lancaster@futurenet.com.

9 Comments
  • I asked for this for Windows 10 Mobile ages ago via Feedback Hub. Either way Enpass already does this anyway.
  • This is a great feature. When I switched phones it was a pain to set everything back up. Also, since I updated to Oreo I have wanted to do a reset but this has kept me from doing it.
  • Does google's authenticator app back up your accounts? I recently switched my phone and didn't realize it doesn't back up like that. Getting Coinbase reset was a pain. I was locked out for few days too. I wonder if googles back up.
  • No, it doesn't., but I know Authy does . I would give it a try, it back up all ur accounts and works on Android and iOS.
  • Loving this! I use Microsoft Authenticator religiously on my iPhone. YAY!!
  • Why use iCloud? Why not use OneDrive thus enabling cross platform backup and restore?
  • I'm assuming because the fact they're testing it on iOS and not everyone may use or have onedrive installed. So it's easier to target icloud. There's no question it'll target onedrive and probably Google drive too since it's coming to Android.
  • Has anyone heard if Microsoft Authenticator will be coming to Windows and be in the Microsoft Store? It still works fine on my Windows Phone, but with that ending and moving to straight Windows with Andromeda, this would be a critical gap, and ironic because it's Microsoft's own product. Perhaps it's intentional over the concern that it ceases to be 2-factor authentication if in can run on the PC where the authentication would be used?
  • "Perhaps it's intentional over the concern that it ceases to be 2-factor authentication if in can run on the PC where the authentication would be used?" Lol didn't even think of that being a potential problem, but it's a good point. Maybe they just have to somehow make a rule it can only be authenticated from another device?