Microsoft Authenticator: Difference between revisions
Added wiki and a "Cross-Platform Migration Friction" section highlighting the MFA transfer nightmare in Microsoft Authenticator. Based on personal device-switch trauma (guess who's still using two phones) and verified against official Microsoft docs [here](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/restore-account-credentials-from-microsoft-authenticator-ce53096e-1e1c-4840-9e32-1618bc33cd43). Grammar and flow lightly vetted by our pal Chat Gippity. Style aligned with existing pages. |
Removes unused "See Also" section. |
||
Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
==Consumer-impact summary== | ==Consumer-impact summary== | ||
=== Cross-Platform Migration Friction === | ===Cross-Platform Migration Friction=== | ||
A major pain point for users is that Microsoft Authenticator '''does not support direct cross-platform restore'''. This means that if a user with many accounts synced on an iPhone purchases an Android device, they have effectively two options to continue using Microsoft Authenticator for MFA: | A major pain point for users is that Microsoft Authenticator '''does not support direct cross-platform restore'''. This means that if a user with many accounts synced on an iPhone purchases an Android device, they have effectively two options to continue using Microsoft Authenticator for MFA: | ||
# Retain possession of the old iPhone for daily MFA needs, or | #Retain possession of the old iPhone for daily MFA needs, or | ||
# Manually reconfigure every service that depends on Microsoft Authenticator for MFA on the new Android device. | #Manually reconfigure every service that depends on Microsoft Authenticator for MFA on the new Android device. | ||
For personal power users, manual reconfiguration may be inconvenient but feasible. However, for work accounts, this process is often impractical as it may require administrative privileges beyond the user’s own. | For personal power users, manual reconfiguration may be inconvenient but feasible. However, for work accounts, this process is often impractical as it may require administrative privileges beyond the user’s own. | ||
Microsoft’s official documentation acknowledges this limitation, stating:<blockquote>"'''Important''': You can only backup and restore on the same device type: accounts backed up using an iOS device cannot be restored on an Android device."<ref>https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/back-up-your-accounts-in-microsoft-authenticator-bb939936-7a8d-4e88-bc43-49bc1a700a40</ref></blockquote> | Microsoft’s official documentation acknowledges this limitation, stating:<blockquote>"'''Important''': You can only backup and restore on the same device type: accounts backed up using an iOS device cannot be restored on an Android device."<ref>https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/back-up-your-accounts-in-microsoft-authenticator-bb939936-7a8d-4e88-bc43-49bc1a700a40</ref></blockquote> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] | [[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] |