Office 365 Two factor Authentication (2FA)

Two factor authentication (2FA) sometimes referred as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is setting an extra layer of security to your account beyond just a username and password. It’s a two-step verification process in which users provide two different authentication factors to verify themselves.

How to configure 2 factor authentication on your office365 account  

Downloading Microsoft Authenticator app to your mobile device

1. Open your phone app store and search for “Microsoft Authenticator”
   
2. Download the app to your phone

Activating the office 365 user account with 2FA

1. Open your preferred browser and navigate to https://login.microsoftonline.com.
2. Login using office 365 username and password
3. Your IT Administrator must have enabled 2FA on your company, so you should receive the below prompt.
   
4. Click Next
5. On the Additional security verification page that pops up, choose “Mobile app” from drop down list and the choose option “Use verification code” and click Setup
   
6. You will receive the below page with a QR Code.
   

Configuring the Microsoft Authenticator app

1. Open the Microsoft Authenticator app in your phone
2. Select Add account from the screen or “+” icon in the top right corner of the app screen
3. Select work or school account in the next screen
   
4. Allow the app to use your phones Camera
5. You will be getting a screen called Scan QR code with a square camera box.
   
6. Scan the QR code shown in your computer screen using this square box
7. Once the QR code is scanned, you will receive the below screen on your computer screen with the setup button greyed out. Click Next
   
8. You will now receive a prompt to enter the six-digit code from your Authenticator app, enter code and click Verify
   
9. Select the country from drop down and enter your mobile number. Click Next
   

You have now added 2 Factor Authentication to your office 365 account. Next time when you login to your office 365 account/outlook, it will ask for the 6-digit code from your authenticator app after the username and password.