Authenticator App - Novaz

Microsoft Azure 2FA Setup with an Authenticator App

azure.microsoft.com SupportedChecked against official help · September 25, 2026

Your Azure sign-in opens the Azure portal and every subscription and resource behind it, so Microsoft now requires more than a password. Azure accounts sign in through Microsoft Entra ID, which calls the feature multifactor authentication (MFA) and accepts codes from third-party authenticator apps such as Authenticator App - Novaz.

A Microsoft Azure account can hold your files and backups of everything else, so protect it with 2FA. Besides an authenticator app, Microsoft Azure also offers SMS text codes, a proprietary app and phone-call codes. An authenticator app (TOTP) is usually the best balance of security and convenience — and it's safer than SMS codes, which can be intercepted through SIM-swap attacks.

2FA methods Microsoft Azure supports

  • SMS text message
  • Proprietary app
  • Authenticator app (TOTP)
  • Phone call

Before you start

  • The work or school account and password you use for the Azure portal
  • Your organization's permission to use a third-party authenticator app, which administrators can turn off
  • Authenticator App - Novaz installed on your iPhone or iPad
  • The Security info page open on a computer, so your phone can scan its QR code
Download on the App Store

Part 1: Turn on 2FA in Microsoft Azure

  1. 1

    Open Security info

    Go to mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info and sign in with your Azure account. If Microsoft asks for more information as soon as you sign in, select "Next" instead: the "Keep your account secure" wizard offers the same choices.

  2. 2

    Add a sign-in method

    Select "Add sign-in method", choose "Microsoft Authenticator" and select "Add".

  3. 3

    Choose a different authenticator app

    Select "I want to use a different authenticator app" instead of downloading Microsoft's app, then select "Next" until a QR code appears.

  4. 4

    Keep the QR code on screen

    The QR code holds the secret key for your account. Leave the page open while you pick up your phone.

Part 2: Add Microsoft Azure to Authenticator App - Novaz

  1. 5

    Add Azure in Authenticator App - Novaz

    Open Authenticator App - Novaz, tap the + button and scan the QR code. If it won't scan, select "Can't scan the image" on the computer, choose to enter a setup key in the app and type the key exactly as Microsoft shows it. Then tap "Save".

  2. 6

    Note the code

    Authenticator App - Novaz now shows a code for your work account. It changes every 30 seconds.

Part 3: Confirm and finish

  1. 7

    Enter the code to finish

    Back in the browser, select "Next", type the current code when Microsoft asks for it and select "Next" again. In the sign-in wizard, set up any other method your organization requires and select "Done".

  2. 8

    Know when Azure will ask for a code

    Microsoft requires MFA to sign in to the Azure portal, even if you choose "Stay signed in". After your password, type the code from Authenticator App - Novaz into the "Enter code" box.

  3. 9

    Save a way to recover your account

    If Microsoft Azure offers backup or recovery codes, download them or write them down and store them somewhere safe. They are how you get back into your account if you ever lose your phone. If it doesn't, check how Microsoft Azure recovers accounts before you need it.

If something goes wrong

  • Microsoft says the code is wrong: make sure your iPhone sets its date and time automatically (Settings > General > Date & Time), then enter the newest code.
  • "I want to use a different authenticator app" isn't offered: your administrator controls which methods you can add. Ask them to enable "Third-party software OATH tokens".
  • You see "Additional security verification" instead of Security info: select the checkbox next to "Authenticator app", then "Configure" to display the QR code.
  • Microsoft asks you to approve a notification instead: select "Sign in another way" and choose the code from your authenticator app.

Checked against Microsoft Azure's own help pages on September 25, 2026. Menu names can change, so these pages have the current path:

How to recover your Microsoft Azure account

Microsoft's help pages for work or school accounts don't describe backup codes, so register a second method, such as a phone, on Security info. If you lose the phone with Authenticator App - Novaz, select "Sign in another way" at sign-in, use that method, then update your security info. With no other method, contact your help desk or Azure administrator: an Authentication Administrator can select "Require re-register MFA" on your account in the Microsoft Entra admin center, and you'll set up MFA again at your next sign-in.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip MFA for the Azure portal?
No. Microsoft enforces MFA for the Azure portal, the Microsoft Entra admin center and the Intune admin center for every user account in the public Azure cloud, test tenants included, and there's no opt-out.
Do Azure CLI and PowerShell need MFA too?
Yes, for changes. Since October 1, 2025, Microsoft has been rolling out MFA for creating, updating or deleting resources with Azure CLI, Azure PowerShell, the Azure mobile app, infrastructure-as-code tools and the REST API. Read operations don't need it.
Does Microsoft Entra ID accept apps other than Microsoft Authenticator?
Yes. Apps that generate standard OATH TOTP codes work, including Authenticator App - Novaz. They're allowed by default, but an administrator can turn them off.
What if I use a personal Microsoft account for Azure?
Personal accounts are managed at account.microsoft.com/security. Select "Manage how I sign in", then "Add a new way to sign in or verify", choose "Use an app" and click "Set up a different Authenticator app" to get a QR code.

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