Enable or reset multi-factor authentication on Microsoft account

Multifactor authentication is a security measure used to protect your Microsoft account by requiring additional verification beyond the password. With this extra layer of protection, it becomes significantly more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access your account, even if they manage to obtain your password.

This guide shows how to configure your Microsoft account for multi-factor authentication (MFA) with Microsoft Authenticator by creating a "token". A token in Microsoft Authenticator is an automatically generated code that you use in connection with logging into, for example, Outlook or another Microsoft program.

Activate multi-factor authentication

Installation of Microsoft Authenticator on a mobile phone

Go to the App Store (iPhone) / Google Play (Android) and search for Microsoft Authenticator, then install it. Make sure you select the correct app (see image).

Remember to enable notifications for the Microsoft Authenticator app.

iPhone and Android: Go to Settings > Notifications > Authenticator > Allow Notifications

Press the “Add work or school account” button.
Log in with your university email address.
Enter the password for your university account.
If you see “Authenticator Locked”, press “Unlock”.
A two‑digit code will be displayed (see note 1 in the image).
Press the “Approve sign‑in” prompt shown at the top of the screen.
Note: If you don’t see the prompt, open the Authenticator app manually.
Enter the two‑digit code and press “Yes”.
Your multi‑factor authentication is now correctly configured. Press “Done”.

Installation of Microsoft Authenticator on a mobile phone via PC / Mac

If you already have Microsoft Authenticator on your phone, you can proceed to the next step: Activation of multi‑factor authentication.

Go to the App Store (iPhone) / Google Play (Android) and search for Microsoft Authenticator, then install it. Make sure you select the correct app (see image).

Activation of multi‑factor authentication

Go to http://aka.ms/mfasetup on a computer.
Log in with your email address and password.
If your account is ready to configure multi‑factor authentication, a window will appear with the text "Låt oss hålla ditt konto skyddat" Click “Nästa”.
Install the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile phone. If you have already done so, click “Nästa”
A QR code will now appear on your computer screen. You will scan this code using the Authenticator app on your mobile phone.
Open Microsoft Authenticator on your phone.
Tap “Scan QR code.” Scan the QR code displayed on your computer screen.
Once you have scanned the QR code, click “Next” on the computer.
If you are prompted to allow notifications / push notifications, you must allow them. Then click “Nästa”
A two‑digit code will appear on your computer. Enter the code in the Microsoft Authenticator app and tap “Yes.”
If everything has been approved, it will show “Authenticator Added.”
When you click “Klar,” you may in some cases receive another two‑digit code that you must enter in the app and tap “Yes” (see step 10)

Signing in with multi‑factor authentication

When signing in to Microsoft with an account that has multi‑factor authentication enabled, you log in by entering your email address and password and clicking Sign in. You will then need to enter the code shown in the Microsoft Authenticator app.
Note: When you are on the university network, you do not need to sign in with the code—your email address and password are sufficient.
Automatic sign‑in on the web (outlook.hb.se) is saved for one month. When signing in through the Outlook client on a computer, it remains saved indefinitely on that device.
If you have changed your mobile phone, reinstalled the Microsoft Authenticator app, or do not receive a code, you need to contact the University IT Department so they can reset your account, allowing you to configure multi‑factor authentication again.
If any issues arise, you can contact it@hb.se or call 033 – 435 46 90.

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Reset multi-factor authentication

Reset multi-factor authentication on Microsoft account

If you experience problems when signing in to Microsoft services, for example when sending the code to your Authenticator app, this “token” needs to be reset.

This guide aims to recover your Microsoft account for multi-factor authentication (MFA) with Microsoft authenticator by clearing your "token".
A token in Microsoft Authenticator is an automatically generated code that you use in connection with logging in to, for example, Outlook or other Microsoft programs.

Log in with BankID or SWAMID in Selfservice-portal
Select Account > Reset MFA
Press "Start revoking my mfa”
Choose “Yes, remove all my multifactors.”
Delete the old token from your phone in the Authenticator app
Microsoft Authenticator: Swipe from right to left on University of Borås with @hb.se or @student.hb.se and tap "Remove"
Confirm the removal by selecting "All apps on this device"
You have now reset your multi-factor authentication and can follow the guide "Activate multi-factor authentication" to activate it again.