A Microsoft app for iOS and Android devices that enables authentication with two-factor verification, phone sign-in, and code generation
Microsoft Authenticator can back up and restore third-party accounts like Facebook, but only if backup was enabled on the old phone and the restore is done correctly on the same platform type (iOS→iOS or Android→Android).
Use these steps depending on device type and situation:
- Confirm backup/restore limitations
- Accounts backed up on iOS cannot be restored on Android, and vice versa.
- Third‑party accounts (like Facebook) that use 30‑second one‑time password codes are included in Authenticator backup and will be available once restored.
- If the old phone was iOS and the new phone is also iOS On the old phone (must have been done before it was lost):
- iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup must have been enabled, and Authenticator must have been allowed in “Saved to iCloud”.
On the new iOS device:
- Enable iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup on the device using the same Apple ID that was used on the old phone.
- Install Microsoft Authenticator from the App Store.
- Open Authenticator; if the backup is detected, restore the accounts.
- For Facebook (a third‑party account), the time‑based codes should appear automatically once restored.
If the backup does not appear on iOS:
- Uninstall and reinstall the Authenticator app on the new device; then open it again so it can detect the iCloud backup.
- If the old phone was Android and the new phone is also Android
- Install Microsoft Authenticator on the new Android device.
- Before signing into any account in the app, select Restore from backup or Begin recovery.
- Sign in with the same personal Microsoft account that was used to configure backup on the old phone.
- After restore completes, the Facebook one‑time password entry should be available again.
If Restore from backup is not visible on Android:
- Remove or sign out of all accounts in Authenticator, then reopen the app so the Restore from backup or Begin recovery option appears.
- If backup was never enabled or platform changed (iOS→Android or Android→iOS)
- The Facebook entry in Authenticator cannot be recovered.
- In that case, recovery must be done directly with Facebook (for example, using Facebook’s own account recovery or security options) and then Facebook must be added again as a new third‑party account in Microsoft Authenticator once access is regained.
- After restore: what to expect for Facebook
- Facebook uses a 30‑second one‑time password code, so after a successful Authenticator restore, the codes will be available and can be used to sign in.
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