Can't use Authenticator in new Android phone

To fully remove the old device and ensure Microsoft Authenticator works correctly on the new Android phone, two things are needed: unregistering the old device from the account, and confirming notifications are enabled on the new device.

1. Completely remove Authenticator on the old phone

Deleting the app from the old phone is not enough. The old device must be removed from the account’s two-step verification settings so Microsoft stops sending notifications there.

Use the appropriate method based on the type of account:

• For a personal Microsoft account:
  1. Go to the two-step verification area of the Account Security page.
  2. Turn off verification for the old device so it is forgotten/unregistered.
• For a work or school Microsoft account:
  1. Go to the two-step verification area of either the My Apps page or your organization’s company portal.
  2. Turn off verification for the old device so it is forgotten/unregistered.

Once this is done, Microsoft will no longer send Authenticator push notifications to the old phone.

2. Enable and use Authenticator on the new Android phone

If Authenticator is already installed on the new phone, ensure it is properly registered and notifications are enabled:

• For a personal Microsoft account:
  1. Open Microsoft Authenticator on the new phone.
  2. Use Add account → Personal Microsoft account.
  3. Sign in with the Microsoft account username and password to re-register the device for push notifications.
• For a work or school account:
  1. Follow the organization’s MFA setup process to add the account to Authenticator on the new phone.
  2. The organization controls whether one‑click notifications are allowed.

Then verify notification settings on the new phone and in the app:

1. In Authenticator, go to Settings → Notification Settings and make sure Show notifications is turned on.
2. On the Android device, ensure:
   • Push notifications are allowed for Microsoft Authenticator.
   • The device is not in Do Not Disturb/Quiet mode.
   • Battery optimization is turned off for Authenticator (for better sync performance).
3. Confirm the device has a working network connection and the time/date are set correctly.

If notifications still appear to go to another device when registering a credential, it usually means the app is still active on some other device. In that case, repeat the “remove old devices” steps above for any remaining devices.

No special information needs to be provided to Microsoft beyond managing devices in the account’s own security/two-step verification pages as described.

References:

• Microsoft Authenticator FAQs
• Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator