How to Set Up Your Microsoft Login with Authenticator (iOS)

What is Microsoft Authenticator?

The Microsoft Authenticator app lets you sign in to your Stanford Microsoft account by approving a request on your phone — no password needed. Learn more about this new login experience.

Before you begin: Set aside time to complete

You'll need:

• Your laptop or computer
• Your iOS or Android device
• 15 minutes to finish the stepup

Tips and reminders

• Internet connection: Ensure your phone has WiFi or cellular data. 
• Keep your both devices handy: You'll switch between your computer and smartphone during setup.
• Fully complete all four steps: Install the app, add Authenticator as a sign-in method, add your Stanford account, and enable passwordless login. 

Ready to get started?

Click each step to view instructions. Icons show weather you'll complete that step on your mobile phone or computer. 

Allow up to 24 hours after completing setup for the new login method with Authenticator to appear.

Step 1: Install the "Microsoft Authenticator" app on your iPhone.

Download and install the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone. The mobile app is free.

• On your Apple iOS device: Go to the App Store and install the application labeled “Microsoft Authenticator" or use this link:  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-authenticator/id983156458

Step 2: On your computer, add the Authenticator app as a new sign-in method.

1. Open a new incognito window or private browser session and go to: https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info.
   (Why incognito? This allows Authenticator to work with Cardinal Key.)
2. Sign in with your university email in the format: <your sunetid>@stanford.edu and select Next. You'll be prompted through the familiar Stanford login (Shibboleth).
   
    
3. On the "Security info" tab, select +Add sign-in method.
   
4. Under "Add a sign-in method," select Microsoft Authenticator from the drop down.
   
5. Click Next, then proceed through the prompts until a QR code is displayed.
   
    
6. Keep this window open! A unique QR code will be generated for you. You'll scan it with your phone in the next step.
   
7. Now it's time to switch to your phone.

Step 3: Scan the QR code to add your Stanford account to Authenticator.

1. Unlock your phone and open the Microsoft Authenticator app.
   If prompted, allow notifications (required for passwordless sign-in).

2. Tap + in the upper right to add an account.

   

3. Select Work or school account.
   
4. Select Scan QR code
   If prompted, allow camera access so the Authenticator app can scan the QR code.
   
    

5. Point your iPhone camera to the QR code on your computer screen. The app will automatically detect it and add your account to Microsoft Authenticator.

   TIP: QR code won't scan? Increase your computer screen brightness or clean your phone's camera lens. Still not working? Click "Can't scan image?" on your computer and enter the code manually.

6. On your computer, you'll see a number displayed(example: 73).
   Enter this number on the Authenticator app on your phone when prompted.
   

   TIP: Don't stop here! Your account is added but you must keep going to register your phone as a trusted device and enable your passwordless login. Setup isn't complete until you finish Step 4.

Step 4: Enable passwordless sign-in within the Authenticator app.

1. If not already open, open the Microsoft Authenticator app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your Stanford University account (sunetid@stanford.edu).

3. Scroll down to "OTHER WAYS TO SIGN IN" and tap the Set up passwordless sign-in requests

   TIP: Don't see this option? It only displays if your Stanford account is added to Authenticator with sign-in notifications enabled. To verify, check that "Sign-in notifications" appears under "WAYS TO SIGN IN" on the account screen. If it's missing, try re-adding your account.

   

4. Authenticator will show a Sign in with your phone screen. This screen lists two requirements: "Device registration" and "Set passcode." Initially, "Device registration" will show a hollow briefcase icon, meaning it's in progress.
   
    

5. Wait for "Device registration" to complete. This may take up to two minutes. When completed, the icon by "Device registration" changes to a green checkmark.
    

   TIP: Is device registration taking too long? Verify your iPhone has an active internet connection (WiFi or cellular) and keep the screen. If registration hasn't completed after five minutes, close and re-open the Authenticator app, tap your Stanford account, and retry "Set up passwordless sign-in requests."

   

6. Once registration completes, Microsoft Authenticator returns you to the account screen. You'll now see "Passwordless sign in requests" listed under ways to sign in.
   
    
7. Our system will update within 24 hours. You'll know you've successfully completed the process when you sign in to your Stanford Microsoft account on a browser or app, and instead of entering a password you'll receive a notification on your iPhone. Open Authenticator, review the sign-in details, and tap Approve.

What happens next?

Once you sign into your Stanford Microsoft account using the new login process, you'll be ready to connect all the devices you use to check email (and access other university Microsoft services) to Microsoft Intune. If you check email with both you laptop and phone, be sure to connect both devices in Intune. 

Please wait 24 hours before connecting your devices to Intune, unless you are prompted to start sooner.

If you don't see the new login process appear 24 hours after completing set up, please contact your local IT support.

Troubleshooting Tips

Didn't get the notification? Check that your phone is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Also, ensure you have allowed notifications for the Microsoft Authenticator app in your phone's settings.

Not receiving prompts when signing in? Confirm that Authenticator has notification permissions on your iPhone: go to Settings > Notifications > Authenticator and make sure Allow Notifications is on. Also check that you're signing in from a browser or app that supports modern authentication — older apps using basic authentication won't trigger a phone prompt.

Need more help? Check out our Troubleshooting FAQs.

More options

The Microsoft Authenticator app supports both passkeys and YubiKeys. After you complete the steps to set up passwordless login with the app, you can choose to setup either option based on your security and convenience needs. 

• Add a passkey within Authenticator
• Add a YubiKey

Get help

If you need assistance, please submit a contact your local IT support.