Back up information on all the accounts you have in Authenticator so that if you lose your mobile, or get a new device, you can sign in to restore previously saved accounts, making it easy to access sites or services.

How to back up accounts in Microsoft Authenticator

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.

To back up your accounts on an iOS device you need to enable iCloud to use Authenticator and then enable backup in Authenticator.

  1. Enable iCloud Drive on your iOS device. Learn how.

  2. Enable iCloud Keychain on you iOS device. Learn how.

  3. Enable iCloud Backup on your iOS device. Learn how.

    1. Go to your Saved to iCloud list and search for Authenticator. Learn how.

    2. Turn on the toggle for Authenticator.

More help with Authenticator backup

  • Microsoft personal accounts​​​​​​​

  • Work or school accounts

  • 3rd party accounts, such as Amazon, Facebook or Gmail.

Note: Starting July 2025, the autofill feature in Authenticator will stop working, and from August 2025, passwords will no longer be accessible in Authenticator. Learn more.

Microsoft personal accounts​​​​​​​

  • If the account only uses a one-time password code which refreshes every 30 seconds. The password codes will available once restored.

  • If the account also provides passwordless sign-in, then only the account name is backed up. When you restore, you will need to sign in again.

Work or school accounts

  • Only the account name is backed up. When you restore, you will need to sign in again.

3rd party accounts, such as Amazon, Facebook or Gmail.

  • These accounts use a one-time password code which refreshes every 30 seconds. The password codes will available once restored.

If you want to delete a backup,

  1. Go to your Saved to iCloud list and search for Authenticator. Learn how.

  2. Turn off the toggle for Authenticator.

Autofill in Microsoft Authenticator has been a way to securely store passwords. 

Microsoft is streamlining autofill so you can use saved passwords easily across devices. As part of these updates, autofill in Microsoft Authenticator will be discontinued from July 2025.

Authenticator will continue to support passkeys.

Important: If you have set up passkeys for your Microsoft Account, ensure that Authenticator remains enabled as your passkey provider. Disabling Authenticator will disable your passkeys.

Learn more about the changes.

See also 

Download Microsoft Authenticator

How to add your accounts to Microsoft Authenticator

Restore account credentials

IT Admins: Learn how to block 3rd-party TOTP for EntraID to prevent credential backup.

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