Office 365 - Setting up MFA on Office 365

If your school has the correct licensing you will only need to verify when not connected to the school network. If your school does not have the correct licensing the verification will be on every sign in. The first part of this article will communicate as if you have the right licences.

Your school is implementing Multi Factor Authentication (MFA), this is a

added layer of security to help protect your accounts and school data. You will only get prompted for an MFA code, Text message or Authenticator code, when you are off the school network. 

When you first login (office.com) outside of the school network you will be prompted with the message to your right. “More information required”, please select next and this will walk you through the process of configuring MFA.

Step 1 – Select Method

This screen is where you select which authentication method you would like to use; either a text/call to a mobile phone number or a notification/code sent to the Microsoft Authenticator App, which you will be able to install from any app store onto a mobile phone or tablet device. 

The default is set to “Authentication Phone” to input a mobile number, or by using the drop-down menu you can select “Mobile App” to setup the Microsoft Authenticator App. You can download this app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. 

Microsoft Authenticator App – Google Play Store

Microsoft Authenticator App – Apple App Store

You will then be asked how you would like to receive the verification request.  

If you have selected authentication phone, you will be given a choice out of phone call or text message. (The above two images)

If you have selected the authentication app, you will have the choice of notifications or retrieving the code from the app.

Step 2 - Verify

If you have selected phone verification, Microsoft will either call/text/notify are depending on the preference you have set in step 1. You should respond to this request and then select next.

If you have selected the authenticator app authentication method, you should open the authenticator app which you have downloaded and select the + icon in the top right.

Select the option "Work or school account".

Scan the QR code on your screen so that you can link the app and account, then select next.

You will be asked to accept the notification/provide a code from the authentication app screen depending on preference chosen.

This stage is not mandatory but to provide peace of mind if you cannot access your primary method, you can set up a secondary method for verification when signing in. This will be in the form of a phone number.  

Once you have entered this, you can select finished.