how to set up microsoft authenticator on phone and passkeys

Heather Hernandez (iTalent Corporation) 10 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff
2026-05-19T14:50:05.27+00:00

how to set up microsoft authenticator on phone and passkeys

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator

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  1. AI answer

    2026-05-19T14:50:27.1766667+00:00

    To set up Microsoft Authenticator on a phone and register passkeys, follow the steps for the device type.

    1. Install and open Microsoft Authenticator

    1. Install Microsoft Authenticator from your device’s app store.
    2. Open Authenticator.
    3. Tap Add account or the + button.
    4. Select Work or school account.
    5. Tap Sign in and complete multifactor authentication (MFA) if prompted.

    This adds the account into Authenticator.

    2. Enable Authenticator as a passkey provider (iOS)

    For seamless SSO and passkeys on iOS:

    1. In Authenticator, after adding the work or school account, follow the prompt to Open Settings.
    2. In iOS Settings, go to Passwords > Password Options.
    3. Turn on Autofill Passwords and Passkeys.
    4. Under Use Passwords and Passkeys From, select Authenticator.
    5. Return to Authenticator and tap Continue when it confirms the account was added according to organization policies.

    3. Enable Authenticator as a passkey provider (Android)

    For seamless SSO and passkeys on Android:

    1. In Authenticator, after adding the work or school account, follow the prompt to open device Settings.
    2. Go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts.
    3. Under Additional providers, enable Authenticator.
    4. Return to Authenticator and tap Done.
    5. Authenticator confirms the account was added according to organization policies.

    4. Register a passkey from Security info (Android example)

    Security info can drive passkey setup directly in Authenticator:

    1. On the same Android device (or another device like a laptop), open a browser and sign in with MFA to Security info at Security info.
    2. Select + Add sign-in method and choose Passkey in Microsoft Authenticator.
    3. If prompted, select Next and sign in with MFA.
    4. If needed, download Authenticator to the Android device and select Next.
    5. When prompted, open Authenticator to complete passkey setup.
    6. In Authenticator, go through the privacy screens and add the Work or school account (if not already added) and complete sign-in. The wizard completes passkey creation in Authenticator.

    5. Register a passkey from Security info (same-device, iOS)

    1. On the iOS device, open a browser and go to My Security info at My Security info.
    2. Tap + Add sign-in method > Passkey in Microsoft Authenticator (preview) > Add.
    3. Complete MFA.
    4. When prompted, select Open Settings and go to Passwords > Password Options.
    5. Turn on Autofill Passwords and Passkeys and select Authenticator under Use Passwords and Passkeys From.
    6. Confirm that the passkey will be saved in Authenticator and follow the prompts to save it.
    7. Back in My Security info, give the passkey a friendly name and tap Done. The passkey now appears in Authenticator.

    6. Register a passkey from another device (cross‑device, iOS)

    1. On a different device (for example, a laptop), open a browser and sign in to My Security info at My Security info.
    2. Select + Add sign-in method > Passkey in Microsoft Authenticator (preview) > Add.
    3. Complete MFA and tap Next.
    4. If needed, download Authenticator to the iOS device and tap Next.
    5. Choose iOS.
    6. On the iOS device, enable Authenticator as a passkey provider in Settings > Passwords > Password Options, and select Authenticator under Use Passwords and Passkeys From.
    7. On the iOS device, open the system Camera app.
    8. On the laptop, after the reminder about saving the passkey in Authenticator, tap Next.
    9. Choose iPhone, iPad, or Android device, then Next.
    10. Use the iOS system camera to scan the QR code and tap Save a passkey.
    11. The iOS device connects over Bluetooth to the other device; follow the prompts to save the passkey to Authenticator.
    12. After the passkey is created, return to My Security info, tap Done, name the passkey, and tap Done again.

    7. Register a passkey from another device (cross‑device, Android)

    1. On a computer or other device, open a browser and go to My Security info at My Security info.
    2. Select + Add sign-in method > Passkey in Microsoft Authenticator (preview) > Add.
    3. Complete MFA and tap Next.
    4. If needed, download Authenticator to the Android device and tap Next.
    5. Choose Android.
    6. On the Android device, enable Authenticator as a passkey provider:
      • Settings > Passwords & Accounts.
      • Under Additional providers, enable Authenticator.
      • Return to My Security info and select Continue.
    7. Open the system camera app or in Authenticator tap Add work or school account > Scan QR Code.
    8. On My Security info, read the reminder about saving the passkey in Authenticator and tap Next.
    9. In the security dialog, choose iPhone, iPad, or Android device and tap Next.
    10. Use the camera to scan the QR code and tap Use passkey. The passkey is then stored in Authenticator.

    After these steps, Microsoft Authenticator is set up on the phone and passkeys are registered so they can be used for passwordless sign-in where supported.

    References:

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