8 guides
Mobile & Remote
Phones, MFA texts, home VPN, dual monitors, and working away from the desk.
How to set up work email on my phone
Add your work mailbox on iOS or Android using the approved app.
You might notice
- You need mail away from the laptop
- The built-in mail app is blocked
- IT required Company Portal first
- 01
Install the required management app if your company uses one
Many organizations require Company Portal or a similar app and a device PIN before mail will flow. Enroll with your work account.
- 02
Install Microsoft Outlook, not a random mail client
Add your work email inside Outlook. Complete MFA. Personal Gmail apps are often not allowed for work data.
- 03
Accept the device PIN and encryption prompts
Work mail on a phone usually requires a PIN, biometrics, and the ability for IT to wipe work data if the phone is lost.
- 04
Keep work and personal profiles separate
On Android work-profile devices, install Outlook in the work profile. Do not move work files into personal photo albums.
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Using company apps on a personal phone
Understand what IT can see and wipe when you enroll a personal device.
You might notice
- You do not want a second phone
- You worry IT can read personal photos
- Enrollment asks for many permissions
- 01
Read the enrollment screen
On a personal phone, modern management usually wipes only the work profile or work apps, not your family photos. The screen lists what is in scope.
- 02
Use the approved apps
Outlook, Teams, and Company Portal are the normal set. Saving work attachments into personal cloud apps may be blocked.
- 03
Protect the device
Set a PIN, keep the OS updated, and do not jailbreak or root. Those states typically lose access.
- 04
Unenroll when you leave the company
Remove the work account so the next employer’s data is not mixed in. Ask IT if a leftover work profile remains.
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My phone is not receiving MFA codes
Text messages or authenticator pushes never arrive when you try to sign in.
You might notice
- Waiting for a text that never comes
- No push in the authenticator
- You are abroad and SMS is delayed
- 01
Prefer the authenticator app over SMS
Open the app and use a 6-digit code. SMS is slower and fails on some carriers and while roaming.
- 02
Check signal, Do Not Disturb, and blocked senders
A full inbox, spam filtering, or airplane mode will hide texts. Add reception and try again.
- 03
Confirm the phone number on your security info
An old number will never get the text. Update it while you still have another MFA method.
- 04
Use a backup method
A security key, another enrolled phone, or a temporary access pass from IT will get you in.
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How to wipe a lost phone remotely
Remove work data from a missing phone, or erase the device if it is company-owned.
You might notice
- Phone is missing
- You still see it in Company Portal
- It may still receive mail
- 01
Call IT and say whether it is personal or company-owned
IT can retire the work profile on a BYOD phone or fully wipe a corporate phone. The difference matters.
- 02
Use Find My or Find My Device if you still have access
Mark it lost and play a sound if it might be in the house. Do not delay the IT call while you search for long.
- 03
Change your work password
Do this even if the phone was locked. Mail and tokens on the device should die after the password and wipe.
- 04
Watch for unexpected MFA prompts
Deny them and tell IT. That can mean someone is trying the account.
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I cannot connect to the VPN from home
The VPN client works in the office or on a hotspot, but not on your home internet.
You might notice
- Gateway timeout from home
- Works on cellular
- The home router shows connected devices but VPN fails
- 01
Test a phone hotspot
If VPN connects on hotspot, your home router or ISP is filtering it. Reboot the router and try again on Wi-Fi.
- 02
Turn off extra home security features
Consumer “smart firewall,” VPN, or ad-blocking DNS on the router can break the company client. Use the ISP defaults for a test.
- 03
Avoid stacking VPNs
Disable personal VPN apps and browser VPN extensions. Only the company client should run.
- 04
Try another home DNS only if IT agrees
Some ISPs’ DNS fails on the portal name. If IT publishes a recommended test, follow that. Do not invent public DNS changes on a managed laptop.
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How to request remote access
Get VPN or application access for remote work, a contractor, or a new location.
You might notice
- You are newly remote
- A contractor needs a system
- You can sign in but cannot reach an app
- 01
Ask for the named role, not “full access”
List the apps, file shares, and whether access is from a company laptop or a personal device. Personal devices often get browser-only access.
- 02
Have your manager approve
Remote access requests almost always need a manager. Contractors also need an end date.
- 03
Complete MFA enrollment first
VPN will not succeed until MFA works. Set that up while you still have another way to reach IT.
- 04
Use the official remote-access ticket type
That routes to the team that can add you to the VPN group. A generic “email is slow” ticket will bounce.
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How to set up dual monitors at home
Extend your laptop to two external displays in a home office.
You might notice
- Only one external screen works
- Mirrors instead of extends
- The laptop lid must stay open
- 01
Use a company dock when you can
Two monitors from a single USB-C cable usually need the issued dock. Cheap HDMI hubs often support only one display.
- 02
Connect both monitors and choose Extend
Press Win+P → Extend. In Display settings, drag the rectangles so they match the physical left/right layout.
- 03
Set the recommended resolution on each screen
Pick the recommended resolution and a common scale, such as 100% or 125%, so windows do not jump in size.
- 04
Decide whether the lid can close
Some docks support clamshell mode; others do not. If the picture dies when you close the lid, leave it open or ask IT whether your model supports it.
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How to use Teams or company chat on my phone
Install and sign in to the official chat app so messages and calls reach you away from the desk.
You might notice
- You miss chats after hours on site
- Notifications do not appear
- The mobile app asks to enroll
- 01
Install the official app from the store
Use Microsoft Teams or the chat tool your company named. Sign in with the work account only.
- 02
Finish device enrollment if prompted
The same Company Portal step used for mail may be required. Until that finishes, chat will not load.
- 03
Allow notifications and a phone passcode
iOS and Android will hide message alerts until you allow them. Quiet hours can be set inside the app.
- 04
Know what is stored on the phone
Downloads from chat are work files. Do not copy them into personal social apps.