Microsoft Authenticator app doesnt show codes for signing in

Question

Microsoft Authenticator app doesnt show codes for signing in

Sleek 20

im trying to log in into my onedrive account but it asks for a code from authenticator app on my phone. which i dont have access to

On my authenticator app i have 2 email adresses. 1 main and 1 school. today the school one appeared there without me noticing but it may have been due to logging into powerpoint on my phone. anyways, The school account doesnt show a One-time password code unlike my main account. in the app when opening the school email it shows ways to sign in or verify "connected account, this app is used to sign in to other apps on this device" then it shows other ways to sign in "Create a pass key / Set up a 2-step verification / Set up Passwordless sign-in requests" then it shows manage "change password / update security info / Review recent activity / reset device notifications" all options require me to log into the account on a website but thats impossible since i need to fill in the code from authenticator app to log in

theres no problem with Notifications not showing up, no problem with device time, no problem with old version of app and no problem with getting into the app, etc. Of course im logged out of every possible place with that email. pc phone browser etc. etc. i would like to clarify the email im trying to log into is my school email of which i know the password to, and used for 3 years or so, and the email im writing this Question with is my main account unrelated to this situation.

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Vivian-HT 17,895 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Dear @Sleek

Based on your description, I understand how urgent this situation must feel. Please know you’re not alone in this, and I’ll guide you through every step to get you back in control as quickly as possible.

Since you are using education account, and your school has an MFA setting for your account, the best way is to contact your school IT staff directly so that they may reset your MFA settings to your mobile. You might also ask whether your MFA can be temporarily disabled to allow an emergency sign-in.

The school IT admin can Revoke MFA sessions and require re-registration in Microsoft Entra admin center

For more information and instruction, please ask the school IT Admin to follow the Microsoft Official Guide here: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID | Microsoft Learn

Note: If you do not know who your school IT admin is, please refer to this Microsoft Official article: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin?

Please understand that as forum moderator, I don’t have access to the backend systems to troubleshoot this effectively due to privacy and security constraints. I am just organizing use cases and collecting data, including from you, on a daily basis and will continue to monitor the progress of this issue.

I hope the information shared helps point you in the right direction. Thank you for your patience and understanding. I'm looking forward for your update.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Answer 1

For a work or school account, the Microsoft Authenticator app can be configured in two different ways:

As a notification-only method (approve/deny prompts, passwordless sign-in, passkeys, etc.). In this mode, the account entry in Authenticator does not show a 6‑digit one-time password (OTP) code.
As a TOTP (time-based one-time password) method, which shows a 6‑digit code that changes every 30 seconds.

From the description, the school account in Authenticator is set up only for notification/passwordless use, not for OTP codes. That is why no “One-time password code” line appears for that account, while it does for the main account.

Because the school account is also configured to require Authenticator to sign in, and there is no OTP code configured, the only ways forward are:

Use an alternative verification method (if any were set up):
- On the sign-in page for the school account, choose “Sign in another way” (or similar) and look for options like SMS, call, or email code.
- If any of these are available and accessible, use them to complete sign-in and then adjust the Authenticator/MFA settings (for example, add an OTP method or change the default method).
If no alternative method works or exists, contact the organization’s IT/help desk:
- For work or school accounts, only the organization’s administrator or help desk can clear or reset multifactor authentication settings when the configured method blocks access.
- They can clear the existing Authenticator registration or MFA settings for the school account. After that, at the next sign-in, the account will prompt to register MFA again, and the desired method (notifications, OTP codes, etc.) can be set up from scratch.

If the Authenticator app entry for the school account does not show a “One-time password code” line at all, and there is no alternative sign-in method available, self-service recovery is not possible; the account owner must work with the school’s IT support to reset MFA on the tenant side.

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