Microsoft Authenticator is asking me to authenticate using Microsoft Authenticator to use Microsoft Authenticator

Anonymous
2023-01-28T00:02:56+00:00

So first of all... Why is "microsoft Authenticator" not an option in the "Products" dropdown when choosing where this post should go? I'm just going to choose "Windows"... Sorry not sorry.

Also, I can't take a screenshot on the microsoft Authenticator app without it capturing a black image (thanks,) so here is an extremely low resolution webcam picture of my phone screen.

When I click "Passwords" section on the microsoft authenticator app, I see a button that says "Sign In".

So, I click the button, to sign in. Then, it asks me to authenticate using microsoft authenticator, but I am not signed in, and this is a "sensitive" page, so I have to enter the code displayed into microsoft authenticator, BUT I AM ON MICROSOFT AUTHENTICATOR ALREADY!!! Who designed this terrible app??? Cheap labor resources then you expect us to prefer microsoft edge over Chrome? LOL

Also, when I search my own question in "Bing", it doesn't come up, even if I type the title word for word. Does it go through some sort of not-mentioned approval process before my post becomes actually visible to the public, or is Bing just extremely bad at updating its search results in a timely manner?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Security and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-20T10:26:27+00:00

    That doesnt help at all because it still requires me to sign in, which requires the authenticator app. Can someone please remove this useless answer?

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-05-19T12:23:32+00:00

    Desperately frustrated with this.

    Adding this account to a new pc after HDD failure. Logs in to the account okay but wont let me change the security options without MS authenticator.

    This account has never had or used authenticator for anything, and it has been added automatically at some point by MS as 2FA option. Nothing to do with us.

    On trying to install MS authenticator it just loops, asking for authentication from authenticator. I cant access security options, I cant install authenticator and I cant speak to anyone at MS as the initial call to the UK help numbers to you to use online help which has no answers. Subsequent calls just auto redirect you to use online help.

    So, cant view security, cant install authenticator, cant speak to anyone at MS to get help.

    Great job whichever genius thought of adding this as a default 2FA. (that was sarcasm)

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-05-19T12:21:40+00:00

    Desperately frustrated with this.

    Adding this account to a new pc after HDD failure. Logs in to the account okay but wont let me change the security options without MS authenticator.

    This account has never had or used authenticator for anything, and it has been added automatically at some point by MS as 2FA option. Nothing to do with us.

    On trying to install MS authenticator it just loops, asking for authentication from authenticator. I cant access security options, I cant install authenticator and I cant speak to anyone at MS as the initial call to the UK help numbers to you to use online help which has no answers. Subsequent calls just auto redirect you to use online help.

    So, cant view security, cant install authenticator, cant speak to anyone at MS to get help.

    Great job whichever genius thought of adding this as a default 2FA. (that was sarcasm)

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-05-10T21:41:41+00:00

    Thank you for taking the time to help us out I was having the same problems.😀

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  5. Rob Koch 26,160 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-03-27T20:11:00+00:00

    I understand the issue CoderGremlinKurst, the number of readers in this thread alone shows that many are confused about its use, and I've seen from threads like this one that there are far more traps designed into the authenticator app than even I recognized when I first began to use it myself.

    Having spent nearly 50 years in the computing field, most of that using Microsoft products, the complexity that people are required to deal with nowadays due to incessant attacks by professional international criminals, has taken us far beyond the capability for many people to use the security products effectively.

    I'm not sure I fully understand your specific issues, which is part of why I suggested those other forums or Microsoft Support itself, but if you wish to try explaining your problem in more detail, I'd be willing to give it a shot or refine my recommendation if you desire. However, since either of those other pathways include internal Microsoft support personnel with more resources than we have here, feel free to use those for more direct access if you prefer.

    Rob

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