THE AUTHENTICATOR APP IS NOT SENDING ANY NOTIFICATIONS FOR VERIFICATION PROMPTS

Use this checklist for Microsoft Authenticator notification failures across all accounts:

1. Check phone notification blocking
   • Make sure the phone is not in Do Not Disturb or Quiet mode.
   • Confirm Microsoft Authenticator is allowed to show notifications, sound, or vibration in the device settings.
   • If notifications from other apps also fail, the issue can be with the phone’s network connection or the Android/Apple notification channel.
2. Verify network connectivity
   • Authenticator notifications require network access.
   • Switch between Wi‑Fi and mobile data and try again.
3. Set date and time correctly
   • If notifications always expire or authentication does not complete, set the device clock to automatic date and time.
   • Restart the device after changing the clock settings.
4. Open the app manually and unlock it
   • If the app is locked, the approval entry box might not appear.
   • Open Microsoft Authenticator directly and make sure it is unlocked.
   • For some sign-ins, opening the app and using Refresh can surface the pending request.
5. Check whether prompts are going to an old device
   • If Authenticator was previously active on another phone, the push notification may still be sent there.
   • For a personal Microsoft account, remove the old device in the two-step verification area of the Account Security page.
   • For a work or school account, remove the old device in the two-step verification area of My Apps or the organization’s company portal.
6. Re-add the affected account
   • If some accounts fail while others work, remove the problematic account from Authenticator and add it again, allowing notifications.
   • If the app was reinstalled and accounts were wiped, the account may need to be registered again before notifications can work.
7. Confirm account type support
   • Push notifications work only for Microsoft personal accounts and work or school accounts.
   • They do not work for third-party accounts such as Google or Facebook.
   • For work or school accounts, the organization can disable one-click notifications.
8. Android-specific checks
   • Make sure Google Play Services and the Google Play Store are installed and enabled.
   • If using a work or school account on Android, push notifications for the app must be enabled.
   • In China, notification through the mobile app on Android devices does not work because Google Play services are blocked there; alternate authentication methods are required.
9. If the error says push notifications must be enabled
   • Go to device Settings and confirm push notifications are enabled.
   • Confirm network connectivity.
   • Remove the account and try the sign-in again.
10. Use another verification method if available

• If a push prompt does not arrive, choose another method such as SMS or phone call when available.
• For anomalous sign-ins, a notification may not be generated; open Microsoft Authenticator and refresh to approve the request.

11. When self-service steps do not fix it

• For a personal account, contact Support.
• For a work or school account, contact the IT admin.
• If the account registration is no longer valid, the account may need to go through registration again.

References:

• Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator
• Microsoft Authenticator FAQs
• Authentication methods in Microsoft Entra ID - Microsoft Authenticator app
• Frequently asked questions about Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication