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Passwords & Accounts · 5 guides

MFA and sign-in

Authenticator apps, new phones, PINs, lock screens, and shared-account requests.

My authenticator app is not working

The MFA prompt never arrives, the code is rejected, or the app shows the wrong account.

ModerateAbout 8 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Sign-in waits on Approve sign-in
  • Codes are marked invalid
  • You got a new phone and the app is empty
  1. 01

    Check time and notifications

    Turn on automatic date and time. Enable notifications for the authenticator. Open the app and wait for the prompt instead of relying only on a banner.

  2. 02

    Use a code if the push fails

    On the sign-in page choose Use a verification code and type the number shown for your work account. Codes change every 30 seconds; type the current one.

  3. 03

    Confirm you are approving the right request

    If you did not just try to sign in, deny the prompt. Unexpected MFA prompts can mean someone has your password.

  4. 04

    Use a backup method

    Try SMS, a phone call, or a security key if those are enrolled. If the phone was replaced, you need IT to add a new method.

How to set up MFA on a new phone

Move Microsoft Authenticator or the company MFA app to a replacement phone without locking yourself out.

ModerateAbout 10 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • You are upgrading phones
  • The old phone is broken or wiped
  • IT required a stronger sign-in method
  1. 01

    Add the new method before you retire the old phone

    While you can still approve MFA, open your security-info page and add the new phone. Scan the QR code in the authenticator app.

  2. 02

    Complete a test sign-in

    Sign out of a browser session and sign in again using the new phone. Keep the old method until that works.

  3. 03

    If the old phone is already gone

    Do not keep guessing. Contact IT for a temporary access pass or MFA reset. You cannot complete this alone if no backup method exists.

  4. 04

    Remove the old device

    After the new phone works, delete the old authenticator entry so prompts stop going to a device you no longer have.

I forgot my Windows Hello PIN

The laptop PIN no longer works and you need to get back to the desktop.

EasyAbout 6 minutes3 steps

You might notice

  • PIN is incorrect
  • Windows Hello face or fingerprint fails
  • You see I forgot my PIN
  1. 01

    Sign in with your password once

    Choose Sign-in options on the lock screen and pick the password icon. Use your work password, not the PIN.

  2. 02

    Reset the PIN from the lock screen

    Select I forgot my PIN and complete MFA. This replaces the PIN without changing your work password.

  3. 03

    Set Hello up again after you are in

    Go to Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options and re-enroll face or fingerprint if those also failed.

The screen locked and I cannot get back in

The workstation locked after idle time and the usual PIN or password is not unlocking it.

EasyAbout 3 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Lock screen rejects the PIN
  • The screen is black after the lid opened
  • A kiosk or conference-room PC is locked
  1. 01

    Wake the display first

    Press a key, tap the trackpad, or press the power button once. A dark screen is not always a lockout.

  2. 02

    Use the correct sign-in method

    Switch between PIN and password. After a password change, the PIN may need a reset. Caps Lock and a wrong keyboard layout are common.

  3. 03

    Do not keep retrying a guessed PIN

    Too many attempts can delay unlock. Use the password option or reset the PIN.

  4. 04

    Conference-room and shared PCs

    Sign out the previous user if you see their name. Do not reboot a room PC mid-meeting unless the organizer agrees.

How to request access to a shared or service account

Get into a team mailbox, app login, or shared account without borrowing someone else’s password.

EasyAbout 5 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • A vendor portal is shared by the team
  • You need a service account for an integration
  • A coworker offered to send you a password
  1. 01

    Do not share personal passwords

    Never send or receive a coworker’s password. Shared work should use a shared mailbox, security group, or a named service account.

  2. 02

    Ask the owner to request access the official way

    Use the access-request catalog or a ticket that names the system, the environment, and your manager. Most approvals are role-based.

  3. 03

    Prefer groups over individual exceptions

    Ask to be added to the existing AD or Entra group that already has access. That survives staff changes.

  4. 04

    For true service accounts, let IT create them

    Service accounts should have a recorded owner, MFA or a vaulted password, and no interactive daily use on a laptop.