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This article walks you through adding the Microsoft Authenticator app to your University of Maine System (UMS) account as a multi-factor authentication (MFA) sign-in method on an iPhone or iPad. Multi-factor authentication adds a second step to signing in, which helps keep your account secure.
ℹ️ INFO: We recommend setting up at least two sign-in methods on two different devices, such as the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone plus a passkey on your computer, so you are not locked out if you lose access to one device.
ℹ️ INFO: You may already use a different authenticator app or your device's built-in passkey manager. UMS IT primarily supports Microsoft Authenticator and passkeys, and we may not be able to help troubleshoot other apps if you run into issues.
How would you like to complete this setup?
Before you begin
You will need:
Setting up Microsoft Authenticator
- On your phone, open your web browser (for example, Safari) and go to aka.ms/mysecurityinfo.
- Sign in with your full maine.edu email address and password.
- Under "Security info," tap Add sign-in method.
- Select Microsoft Authenticator from the list.
- ⚠️ Make sure you select Microsoft Authenticator, not Passkey in Microsoft Authenticator. If you would like to set up a passkey, that can be done after you finish setting up Microsoft Authenticator.
- In the "Install Microsoft Authenticator" box, tap Download on the App Store.
- Tap Install to install the Microsoft Authenticator app from the App Store.
- ⚠️ If prompted to sign in, use your iCloud (Apple) username and password, not your UMS (maine.edu) username and password.
- In the "Now pair Authenticator with your account" box, tap Pair your account to the app by clicking this link.
- Wait a moment. You'll see an "Account added successfully" confirmation message in the Authenticator app. Tap OK.
- You should see "University of Maine System" along with your maine.edu email address in the app.
- Switch back to your browser.
- In the "Now pair Authenticator with your account" box, tap Next.
- You'll see a "Let's try it out" box with a number listed. Remember the number, then tap the Authenticator notification banner at the top of your screen.
- If you didn't receive a notification banner or missed it, switch to the Authenticator app.
- In the "Are you trying to sign in?" box, enter the number from the previous screen, then tap Yes.
- Switch back to your browser. You'll see an "Authenticator Added" confirmation message. Tap Done.
- Confirm you see "Microsoft Authenticator, Push multi-factor authentication (MFA), iPhone [model]" listed.
You have successfully added the Microsoft Authenticator app as an MFA sign-in method for your UMS account. If this is the only sign-in method on your account, we recommend adding a second one on a different device before you finish. We also recommend continuing with the passkey setup next. See the other articles in the How-To Guides collection for additional methods.
Use the interactive walkthrough below to follow along step by step.
If you run into an issue not covered here, see the MFA Troubleshooting knowledge base articles.
The IT Service Desk is available by phone, email, chat, and walk-up if additional support is needed.
Environment
- Applies to all University of Maine System (UMS) accounts
- iOS devices (iPhone/iPad)
- Can be completed entirely on the iPhone/iPad, or starting from a computer (see note above)