How to Get QR Code for Microsoft Authenticator App, by FIXORA on YouTube. 1 min 23 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 23 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
On your computer, sign in to your Microsoft account security page at account.microsoft.com/security. If you use a work or school account, sign in at mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info instead.
Open Advanced security options, find the Two-step verification section and choose Add a new way to sign in or verify.
Pick Authenticator app from the list of methods. If the app is not on your phone yet, install Microsoft Authenticator from the App Store or Google Play first.
Click Next. Microsoft now shows a square QR code on the screen. Keep this page open, because the code is needed for the scan.
Open Microsoft Authenticator on your phone, tap the plus button at the top right and choose Add account, then Personal account or Work or school account.
Tap Scan QR code and allow camera access when your phone asks. Hold the phone about 15 cm from the screen until the square sits inside the frame.
Wait for the app to confirm the account was added. The browser moves on and asks you to approve a test notification, so tap Approve in the app.
Check that the account now appears in the Authenticator list and that the security page shows the app as a sign-in method.
Tips and common mistakes
The QR code is tied to one account and expires after a few minutes, so request a fresh one if you wait too long.
Never share a screenshot of the QR code, because anyone who scans it can add your account to their own authenticator.
If the camera will not focus, clean the lens and raise your screen brightness instead of moving closer.
When a service offers a manual setup key next to the QR code, type that key into the app if scanning keeps failing.
Questions
Where exactly is the QR code?
It only appears during setup. Sign in to your account security settings, choose to add the Authenticator app as a sign-in method, and the code shows on the next screen.
The QR code will not scan. What can I do?
Raise your screen brightness, hold the phone steady and try again. Many services also show a setup key you can enter by hand in the app instead of scanning.
Can I use the same QR code for two phones?
No. Each setup generates a code for one device, so repeat the add a sign-in method steps on the second phone to get its own code.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
