Introduction to Setup MFA with Mobile Phone
The instructions below will demonstrate how to setup MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) on your Mobile Phone for Microsoft 365. This works best as a secondary or backup MFA option, the Microsoft Authenticator is the preferred default for its security and reliability (see link to instructions below). Choose this option if you would prefer to receive a text message with a code or a phone call to a mobile device to protect your account. See the two sets of instructions further below on how to setup these methods on your account.
Looking for general information, instructions on how to add more MFA options, or need assistance troubleshooting an error? Here are the other articles available about MFA for Microsoft 365:
- For general information and tips about MFA, check out the How to Setup MFA for Microsoft 365 article.
- Want to add more MFA options to your account, or looking to edit your existing settings? Learn how to make changes in the Add and Edit MFA Options for Microsoft 365 article. We recommend setting up multiple methods so you have more than one that can be relied on.
- Running into a problem or error message setting up MFA? Check out the Troubleshooting MFA for Microsoft 365 article for known issues and how to work around them.
- For more MFA options, check out these setup guides for the other methods available:
How to Setup MFA with Mobile Phone – Text Message
1. Begin by logging in to your Microsoft 365 account (college email address).
2. During the initial setup of MFA, you will be directed to the following More information required prompt. Click Next to proceed.
3. You will now be directed to the Additional security verification screen to begin choosing which MFA option you would like to use.
4. To setup MFA so that a text message with a code will be sent to your phone:
- Select Authentication phone in the dropdown.
- Select the country in the dropdown below and enter your phone number in the blank field to the right (example format: 321XXXXXXX).
- Choose the Send me a code by text message method and then click Next to proceed.
Note: To setup a phone call instead of text, choose Call me. See the Mobile Phone – Phone Call instructions further below.
5. At this point you should receive a text message on your phone (sender may be a 5 digit number) with a 6 digit code. Enter the code you see in the text into the field as seen below. These codes will be randomly generated (the code in the picture is an example of what it may look like). Once the code has been entered, click Verify to continue.
6. After verifying, you should now be on the Step 3: Keep using your existing applications page. This will include an App Password that can be used under special circumstances (apps and devices that don’t support two-factor verification), but likely won’t be needed in most cases. Click on the Done button to conclude the setup.
Note: You can click the paper icon to the right of the randomly generated password to Copy the text so that you may Paste and save the app password in a secure location.
7. With the MFA setup, you can then proceed to your account. If you are using Outlook Web, you may be given the prompt to Stay signed in. Keep in mind that while other Outlook applications may only prompt you to enter the code from a text message one time, Outlook Web will ask you to enter the code each time you need to log back in. Once the code has been entered, you will be all set!
Alternative method:
How to Setup MFA with Mobile Phone – Phone Call
1. Begin by logging in to your Microsoft 365 account (college email address).
2. During the initial setup of MFA, you will be directed to the following More information required prompt. Click Next to proceed.
3. You will now be directed to the Additional security verification screen to begin choosing which MFA option you would like to use.
4. To setup MFA so that you will receive a phone call to your mobile phone:
- Select Authentication phone in the dropdown.
- Select the country in the dropdown below and enter your phone number in the blank field to the right (example format: 321XXXXXXX).
- Choose the Call me method and then click Next to proceed.
Note: To setup a text message instead of phone call, choose Send me a code by text message. See the Mobile Phone – Text Message instructions further above.
5. The next page will inform you to expect a call to the number you provided. At this point, you will receive a phone call from a Microsoft number on your mobile device. After answering, follow the prompt and dial # (you may need to bring up your phone’s keypad to select it). Once confirmed, you will automatically be taken to the next page.
Note: Pressing # soon after answering offers the best results, but if you do happen to listen to the full message, you will also hear instructions on what to do if you were not expecting the call and how to report it. If you have Call Forwarding setup on your mobile device, it may interfere with initially receiving this phone call.
6. You should now be on the Step 3: Keep using your existing applications page. This will include an App Password that can be used under special circumstances (apps and devices that don’t support two-factor verification), but likely won’t be needed in most cases. Click on the Done button to conclude the setup.
Note: You can click the paper icon to the right of the randomly generated password to Copy the text so that you may Paste and save the app password in a secure location.
7. With the MFA setup, you can then proceed to your account. If you are using Outlook Web, you may be given the prompt to Stay signed in. Keep in mind that while other Outlook applications may only prompt to receive a phone call verification one time, Outlook Web will ask you to do the phone call verification each time you need to log back in. Once answered and pressing #, you will be all set!
For further assistance, questions, or concerns, please either create a ticket or call the IT Support Desk at 321-433-7600, open 7am to midnight, 7 days a week. After accessing myEFSC, the Open an IT Ticket button can be found in the IT Support section, typically found near the bottom of the page.
When creating a ticket, select the Email, Teams & Calendaring category, followed by the appropriate Email Assistance service to submit a ticket. Please include an alternative contact method (if you cannot access your email). Include details, error messages, and provide screenshots if possible of the steps you have taken so we may further assist you.
