Microsoft Authenticator on Apple Watch

[DJTentman84]

According to this article:

Common questions about the Microsoft Authenticator app - Microsoft Support

The Microsoft Authenticator app is being discontinued on Apple Watch. I find this very disappointing. I used it many times per day. Yes, it was a bit buggy and unreliable, but it sure was better than picking up my phone every time! Please keep supporting the Watch app!

[#2]

Agreed. This is the primary reason I use my Apple Watch. This will be a huge step backwards in my day-to-day. I have to authenticate 30+ times a day, and picking up my phone every time is a huge waste of time.

[#3]

are there any good alternatives for this?
Is there any other Auth app that has apple watch app with the easy to approve a sign in?

[#4]

An alternative I've used for years and fully trust is Duo Mobile. (Not to be confused with Google Duo, which is a completely different product by Google that has nothing to do with Duo, the company.) I don't think it supports push notifications for third-party authentication (i.e., not sent from a Duo app running on a server or from a Duo-integrated app) and can't remember if it can take the place of Microsoft Authenticator for Microsoft Accounts and Work and School Accounts, but it does allow registering most third-party services for passcode-based MFA, such as Amazon, Google, and PayPal. You can then look up the current passcode on your Apple Watch without needing to use your iPhone.

I was planning on consolidating as many of my MFA-enabled accounts as possible over the holidays to use Microsoft Authenticator so I can cut down on the number of MFA apps I currently use, so I am extremely glad I stumbled across this information now. I will probably test using Duo Mobile for Microsoft-based authentication and, if I remember, will post an update on it here.

[#5]

This is one of the most disappointing announcements to come out of Microsoft - it was a killer feature of the AzureAD/Authenticator combo and something I relied on and promoted heavily as part of rolling it out - and was much loved by those who used it!

I remain hopeful that this is reconsidered - for those that have deployed such solutions it was a really great way to show how frictionless MFA can be…

[#6]

Extremely bad move on Microsoft's behalf and totally useless. Just fix the issue you have with Face ID and use the standard bypass of this request when the watch is worn and unlocked... Seriously, this is a really bad move.

[#7]

this is very unfortunate and has a major impact on our company. I don't understand microsoft how they simply switch off such a great function. Technically and user-friendly simply incomprehensible.

[#8]

Just jumping in to keep this thread alive. I hope MS revisits this decision - I find the ability to authenticate on my watch a huge benefit.

[#9]

I’m also replying to this thread to express my anger that Microsoft are removing the best feature of their Authenticator app in the Apple space. The watch-face is the perfect place to see the approve/reject buttons when logging into an MS service - who wants to get their phone out every time?!!
Let’s hope they hear their customer voices and relent :crossed_fingers:

[#10]

@WaynePlummer Yes agreed this is a major step backward for MFA ease of use, and poorly justified based on the little information released.  Let's hope it is reconsidered for the benefit of customers.