Add email account to new device with authenticator

To finish adding the email account on the new device, the account must first be fully set up in Microsoft Authenticator, then enabled as a sign-in method on the Microsoft account security page.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Add the account directly in Microsoft Authenticator
   1. Install and open the Microsoft Authenticator app on the new device.
   2. Tap + Add account.
   3. Choose the appropriate account type (for a personal Microsoft account, choose Personal account).
   4. Select Sign in with Microsoft and enter the account’s username and password.
   5. Complete the verification using any method that still works (SMS, email, etc.) so the account is added into the app.
2. Complete the “use an app” setup on the Microsoft account security page
   1. On a browser where sign-in is still possible, go to the Microsoft account Security page: https://account.microsoft.com/security.
   2. Select Manage how I sign in.
   3. Select Add a new way to sign in or verify.
   4. Choose Use an app.
   5. When prompted to Get it now, close that window if Authenticator is already installed.
   6. Select Next to show the QR code.
   7. In Microsoft Authenticator on the phone, tap + → Personal account → Scan a QR code, and scan the QR code shown in the browser.
      • If the camera cannot be used, select I can't scan the bar code on the PC and Enter code manually in the app, then enter the code shown.
   8. Finish the wizard so the app is registered as a verification method.
3. (Optional) Require Authenticator every time (two-step verification)
   1. On the same Security page, scroll to Two-step verification.
   2. Turn it On and follow the on-screen instructions to make Authenticator the default second factor.

After these steps, the account will be fully registered in Microsoft Authenticator, and the email account can be added to the new device using the Authenticator prompts.

If an error like "You haven't finished yet" appears when enabling passwordless sign-in, complete the flow by:

1. Ensuring the account is already added in the Authenticator app using + Add account → Sign in with Microsoft.
2. Then going back to Add a new way to sign in or verify → Use an app → Get it now (close window) → Next → Finish on the security page.

References:

• How to add your accounts to Microsoft Authenticator
• Error message "You haven't finished yet" with passwordless sign-in