MFA without a Cellphone

For at least some setups, it is possible to use a computer based OTP TOTP/otpauth based authentication system. Microsoft's MFA signup will give a QR code to transfer the "shared secret" to the Authentication App of your choice, and it will also have a "I can't scan the bar code" link that will lead to the "shared secret" that you need.

For example, here are instructions on how to set up "OTP Manager" for Microsoft 365 from Laval university: https://www4.fsa.ulaval.ca/en/current-students/apti-help-desk/how-tos-tips/multifactor-authentication-mfa/#Adding-anothervalidationmethodwithOTPManager

Additionally, many password manager programs (such as KeepassXC have TOTP generation built in, so if you give that software the "secret key" it can generate the needed codes. Here are instructions for KeepassXC:

https://keepassxc.org/docs/KeePassXC_UserGuide.html#_adding_totp_to_an_entry

I am using these methods to do MFA on two of my different Microsoft 365 accounts - one for a small company account, one for a university account. I don't think a cell phone was needed to set either up, but that was a while ago. I DO have a cell number as an alternative method, but I primarily use my password manager to generate the TOPT codes.