Ipad air M3 MS authenticator not letting type MFA 2-digit number while trying to sign in

Question

Ipad air M3 MS authenticator not letting type MFA 2-digit number while trying to sign in

Alanen, Juuso 0

Hello,

Multiple users have this problem where authenticator gives the number and push notification to enter the digits.

It shows a text field with the blinking indicator, but when you press the text field, it only shows the option to paste, keyboard does not show up. There are no external keyboards in use except for OPN bluetooth barcode scanners, which are recognized as external keyboards. However, it doesn't matter if the scanner is connected or not, problem persists.

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Answer 1

On iPadOS this behavior is usually caused by how the Authenticator prompt and the system keyboard/notifications are interacting, or by device/app configuration rather than the MFA policy itself. Use these steps to troubleshoot systematically:

Check for common Authenticator issues
- Make sure Microsoft Authenticator is updated to the latest version from the App Store. Older versions are not supported and can behave incorrectly with prompts.
- Confirm the iPad’s Date & Time are set correctly (Settings → General → Date & Time → Set Automatically).
- Ensure the device has a stable network connection (switch between Wi‑Fi and mobile hotspot if available) and that VPN is disabled while testing.
- Verify notifications are enabled for Authenticator: Settings → Notifications → Microsoft Authenticator → Allow Notifications, and make sure they are not set to “Deliver Quietly”.
Unlock the app before approving
- If the app is locked (PIN/Face ID), unlock Authenticator first, then tap the pending sign‑in request and try entering the 2‑digit code again.
- A locked app can prevent the entry box from behaving correctly.
Force-close and relaunch Authenticator
- From the iPad home screen, swipe up from the bottom and pause to show the app switcher.
- Swipe Microsoft Authenticator up to close it.
- Reopen Authenticator and retry the sign‑in approval.
Check external keyboard / scanner behavior
- Temporarily disable all Bluetooth devices: Settings → Bluetooth → turn Off.
- Retry the MFA prompt with Bluetooth fully disabled to rule out the barcode scanner (or any “phantom” keyboard) capturing input.
- If this fixes the issue, re‑enable Bluetooth and test by pairing one device at a time to identify the culprit.
Test alternative MFA path
- When the prompt appears, choose I can’t use my Microsoft Authenticator app right now (or similar) and select Use a verification code from Authenticator instead of number matching, if available for the tenant.
- In Authenticator, open the account and manually type the 6‑digit code into the browser/app sign‑in screen (not into the push prompt). This confirms MFA itself works while isolating the UI issue with the number‑matching field.
Reinstall Authenticator (per device)
- Make sure users have at least one other MFA method registered (SMS, alternate email, or another device) before doing this.
- Delete Microsoft Authenticator from the iPad, reinstall it from the App Store, and re‑add the work account following the normal MFA registration flow.
- Then test the push number‑matching prompt again.
If “Authentication did not complete” appears
- Follow the guidance for that specific error: ensure the app is unlocked, notifications are not silent, the app is updated, the device has network connectivity, and the date/time are correct.
If the issue persists across multiple iPad Air M3 devices
- Capture details (iPadOS version, Authenticator version, whether any MDM profile is applied, and whether the issue occurs on other iOS/iPadOS models).
- Open a support ticket with Microsoft, as this may be a platform‑specific or MDM interaction bug affecting the number‑matching input field on that hardware/OS combination.

References:

Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator