My Microsoft Authenticator app not generating my code for my school

Lincey L 0 Reputation points
2026-09-12T19:35:30.12+00:00

Error Code: 500121

Request Id: [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]

Correlation Id: [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For education | Other
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-12T19:35:45.9733333+00:00

    For a school account, error 500121 with Microsoft Authenticator usually means the MFA approval or code flow is not completing. Try these steps in order:

    1. Open Microsoft Authenticator and confirm the account is present and the app is responsive.
      • If the app is locked, unlock it first.
      • If the school account is missing, the sign-in cannot complete until the account is added again.
    2. Check notifications and prompts.
      • Make sure notifications are enabled for Microsoft Authenticator.
      • Make sure the phone is not in Do Not Disturb or Quiet mode.
      • If prompts are silent, check for text-message verification codes that may have arrived without an alert.
    3. Update the app and device settings.
      • Install the latest Microsoft Authenticator version.
      • Make sure the device date and time are correct.
      • If using mobile data, switch to Wi‑Fi, or switch from Wi‑Fi to mobile data.
      • If using a VPN, disconnect it and try again.
      • Restart the device.
    4. If the app was recently moved to a new phone or is not working for this account only, remove and re-add the school account if sign-in is still possible elsewhere.
      • For work or school accounts, if some accounts in the app work but this one does not, removing the problematic account and adding it again can fix notification issues.
    5. If repeated attempts were made, stop retrying for a while.
      • Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication can temporarily block additional attempts after unusual or repeated sign-ins.
      • Wait and try again later, or use a different MFA method if one is available.
    6. If no code or approval arrives after these checks, contact the school IT admin or help desk. Ask them to:
      • review the Microsoft Entra sign-in logs for the failed attempt
      • verify the registered Security info is correct
      • require re-registration of MFA so the Authenticator method can be set up again
    7. Before contacting support, send logs from the app.
      • In Microsoft Authenticator, open the top-level menu and select Send feedback.

    Important: Re-registering MFA removes existing authentication methods for the account. New methods must be set up at the next sign-in.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Ryan-N 15,745 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-12T20:25:02.72+00:00

    Hi Lincey,

    Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

    Based on your description, the Microsoft Authenticator app is not displaying the verification code required to access your account.

    For an Education account, the account is managed and configured by your school's administrator (typically the IT department). In this case, you will need to contact your school's administrator and ask them to reset MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) for your account.

    When you contact them, please share the following guidance on how to reset MFA for your account:

    Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID |…

    Once MFA has been reset, you will be prompted to set it up again the next time you sign in. After completing the MFA setup process, your issue should be resolved.

    I hope this information is helpful.

    If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you.

    I look forward to continuing the conversation.

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Yes" and kindly upvote it.

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