Set up Security info from a sign-in page (2024)

You can follow these steps if you're prompted to set up your security info immediately after you sign-in to your work or school account.

You'll see this prompt only if you haven't set up the security info required by your organization. If you've previously set up your security info, but you want to make changes, see the Add or update your security info overview.

If what you're seeing on your screen doesn't match what's being covered in this article, it means that your administrator hasn't turned on this experience yet.

Security verification versus password reset authentication

Security info methods are used for both two-factor security verification and for password reset. However, not all methods can be used for both.

Sign in to your work or school account

After you sign in to your work or school account, you'll see a prompt that asks you to provide more information before it lets you access your account.

Set up your security info using the wizard

Follow these steps to set up your security info for your work or school account from the prompt.

Important:This is only an example of the process. Depending on your organization's requirements, your administrator might have set up different verification methods that you'll need to set up during this process. For this example, we're requiring two methods, the Microsoft Authenticator app and a mobile phone number for verification calls or text messages.

1. After you selectNext, aKeep your account secure wizardappears, showing the first method your administrator and organization require you to set up. For this example, it's the Microsoft Authenticator app.

   Notes:

   • If you want to use an authenticator app other than the Microsoft Authenticator app, select I want to use a different authenticator app.

   • If your organization lets you choose a different method besides the authenticator app, you can selectI want to set up a different method.

     See Also

     View your work or school account sign-in activity from My Sign-ins

   

2. SelectDownload nowto download and install the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device, and then selectNext. For more information about how to download and install the app, seeDownload and install the Microsoft Authenticator app.

   

3. Remain on theSet up your accountpage while you set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device.

4. Open the Microsoft Authenticator app, select to allow notifications (if prompted), selectAdd accountfrom theCustomize and controlicon on the upper-right, and then selectWork or school account.

   Note:The first time yousetup the Microsoft Authenticator app, you might receive a prompt asking whether to allow the app to access your camera (iOS) or to allow the app to take pictures and record video (Android). You must selectAllowso the authenticator app can access your camera to take a picture of the QR code in the next step. If you don't allow the camera, you can still set up the authenticator app, but you'll need to add the code information manually. For information about how to add the code manually, see seeManually add an account to the app.

5. Return to theSet up your accountpage on your computer, and then selectNext. TheScan the QR codepage appears.

   

6. Scan the provided code with the Microsoft Authenticator app QR code reader, which appeared on your mobile device after you created your work or school account in Step 5. If the QR code reader can't read the code, you can select theCan't scan the QR imageand manually enter the code and URL into the Microsoft Authenticator app. For more information about manually adding a code, seeManually add an account to the app.

7. SelectNexton theScan the QR codepage on your computer. A notification is sent to the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device, to test your account.

   

8. Approve the notification in the Microsoft Authenticator app, and then selectNext. Your security info is updated to use the Microsoft Authenticator app by default to verify your identity when using two-step verification or password reset.

   

9. On thePhoneset up page, choose whether you want to receive a text message or a phone call, and then selectNext. In this examplewe're using text messages, so you must use a phone number for a device that can accept text messages. A text message is sent to your phone number. If would prefer to get a phone call, the process is similar.

   

10. Enter the code provided by the text message sent to your mobile device, and then selectNext.

    

11. Review the success notification, and then selectDone.

    

12. Review theSuccesspage to verify that you've successfully set up both the Microsoft Authenticator app and a phone (either text message or phone call) method for your security info, and then selectDone.

    

Note:If your organization requires you to use app passwords, you might see an additional section in this wizard, where you can set it up. If you see a third section, calledApp passwords, you must fill it out before you will be able to complete the wizard. For steps about how to add an app password, see the "Manage your app passwords" section of this article.

Manage your app passwords

Certain apps, such as Outlook 2010, don't support two-step verification. This lack of support means that if you're using two-step verification in your organization, the app won't work. To get around this problem, you can create an autogenerated password to use with each non-browser app, separate from your normal password.

Note:If you don't see this option in the wizard, it means that your administrator hasn't set it up. If this isn't set up, but you know you need to use app passwords, you can follow the steps in Set up app passwords from the Security info page.

When using app passwords, it's important to remember:

• App passwords are autogenerated and only entered once per app.

• There's a limit of 40 passwords per user. If you try to create one after that limit, you'll be prompted to delete an existing password before being allowed to create the new one.

• Use one app password per device, not per app. For example, create a single password for all the apps on your laptop, and then another single password for all the apps on your desktop.

Next steps

• Reset your password if you've lost or forgotten it, from thePassword reset portalor follow the steps in theReset your work or school passwordarticle.

• Get troubleshooting tips and help for sign-in problems in theCan't sign in to your Microsoft accountarticle.