How to change the preferred Multifactor Authentication method on Office365
If you have been issued with a hardware token and want to change from the SMS method, you can do this yourself by signing into your email account.
The quick way, at the time of publishing, is to login to https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info with your email and password and go to step 6.
The slow way if things have been changed.
- You can go to Office.com on the internet,
- sign-in with your email address,
- click the menu in the top right which is your initials (or avatar pic),
- click view account
- click security info
- under 'Default sign-in method' click Change
- Now change it to 'Authenticator app or hardware token - code' and confirm
- When you next sign in you'll be able to use the code on your token or the code generated in the Microsoft Authenticator app if you're using that.
- If you have forgotten your token and have SMS or the Microsoft Authenticator app registered to your smartphone you can use the 'sign in another way' option when prompted for the token code.
- You will only be able to use the methods you have pre-registered, if you have no other options listed, you'll need to contact IT Services by phone for an emergency code, note only two people can generate these codes in IT due to separation of duty requirements so you could be waiting a long time, it's imperative you keep your token with you at all working times or have backup methods registered.
Adding methods is not covered in this document but the option can be seen on step 6.