Setting Up Microsoft Authenticator on a New Phone

⚠️ READ THIS BEFORE YOU SWITCH OR RESET YOUR PHONE. Microsoft Authenticator is required to sign in to your Argus email and Microsoft 365. If you switch phones without setting up Authenticator on the new one, you will be locked out of your account and require IT to reset your MFA — which can take hours during business days and is not available outside business hours. Spend two minutes backing up your Authenticator BEFORE you switch phones.

⚠️ Important: Account Lockout Policy

If you enter your password incorrectly 3 times in a row, your account will lock automatically for 5 minutes. This is normal protection against unauthorized access — not a bug.

If this happens to you:

• Wait the full 5 minutes (don't keep trying — additional attempts reset the timer).
• Try www.outlook.com in a browser to verify your password works before retrying in any app.
• If you've forgotten your password entirely, submit a ticket for a password reset.

This lockout applies to ALL Argus systems that use your Microsoft 365 account — Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, Office.com, and others.

Scenario 1: BEFORE You Switch Phones (Recommended Path)

If you still have your current phone working and Authenticator is on it, follow these steps to back up Authenticator BEFORE you make the switch.

Step 1: Enable cloud backup on your CURRENT phone

1. Open the Microsoft Authenticator app on your old phone.
2. Tap the three dots (menu) in the top-right corner.
3. Tap Settings.
4. Find the Backup section.
5. Turn Cloud backup ON.
6. Sign in with a personal Microsoft account when prompted (your @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, or @live.com account — NOT your Argus account).

If you don't have a personal Microsoft account, create one for free at signup.live.com — it takes 30 seconds and is used only to hold this backup.

Step 2: Wait for the backup to complete

The backup happens automatically within a few seconds. The Settings screen should now show a green checkmark or "Backup enabled" indicator.

Step 3: Install Authenticator on your NEW phone

1. Download Microsoft Authenticator from the App Store (iPhone) or Play Store (Android).
2. Open the app.
3. Tap Begin recovery.
4. Sign in with the same personal Microsoft account you used for the backup.
5. Your accounts will appear, including your Argus account.

Step 4: Verify it works

Sign in to www.outlook.com from your new phone or a computer. When prompted for MFA, your new phone should receive the approval request.

Scenario 2: After Switching Phones — You DID Back Up

Already on your new phone and have the backup ready? Skip to Step 3 above ("Install Authenticator on your NEW phone").

Scenario 3: After Switching Phones — You DID NOT Back Up

If you've already switched or wiped your old phone without enabling backup first, the Authenticator setup on your old phone is gone. There is no way to recover it yourself.

You must submit a ticket to have IT reset your MFA. We will:

1. Reset your MFA on our side.
2. Remove the old device from your user profile.
3. Confirm with you once this is complete.

⚠️ Before setting up MFA again — important step if you've already added your account to Authenticator:

If you already tried to add your Argus account to the Microsoft Authenticator app on your new phone (for example, by scanning a QR code or entering it manually before submitting this ticket), that stale entry must be removed first or the new setup won't work properly.

To remove the existing entry:

1. Open Microsoft Authenticator on your new phone.
2. Find the entry for your Argus account.
3. Tap and hold (or tap the account → tap the gear/settings icon).
4. Choose Remove account and confirm.

If you have not yet added your Argus account to Authenticator on the new phone, skip this step.

Once we've confirmed the reset (and you've removed any stale Authenticator entry), set up Authenticator on your new phone using the standard Argus MFA setup process (see below).

This requires identity verification — we'll typically contact your manager or use a known phone number to confirm it's actually you requesting the reset.

Setting Up MFA at Argus — The www.office.com Process

This is the standard process used both for new users setting up MFA for the first time AND for users re-adding MFA after a reset.

Step 1: Install Microsoft Authenticator on your phone (if not already installed)

• iPhone: App Store → search Microsoft Authenticator → tap Get to install.
• Android: Play Store → search Microsoft Authenticator → tap Install.

Step 2: Go to www.office.com on a computer (not your phone)

1. Open a web browser on a computer.
2. Go to www.office.com.
3. Click Sign in.
4. Enter your Argus email address and password.

Step 3: Microsoft will guide you through MFA setup

Microsoft 365 detects that you don't yet have MFA configured (or that your previous registration was cleared) and automatically walks you through adding it:

1. The page will tell you that more information is required to keep your account secure.
2. Click Next.
3. You'll be told to install Microsoft Authenticator if you haven't already.
4. Click Next to display a QR code on the computer screen.
5. On your phone, open Microsoft Authenticator → tap + (add account) → choose Work or school account → Scan QR code.
6. Point your phone's camera at the QR code on the computer screen.
7. Authenticator will add the account and prompt you to approve a test sign-in.
8. Approve the test on your phone.
9. At this point, Microsoft may prompt you on the computer for an "app password." This is a leftover prompt from older M365 setups — see the Note About the "App Password" Prompt below. Type anything you want, click through, and forget it.
10. Microsoft 365 confirms MFA is now active.

Step 4: Sign in once to confirm

Go to www.outlook.com on the same computer and sign in. You should receive an Authenticator approval request on your phone. Approve it, and you'll see your inbox.

That's it — MFA is now set up.

ℹ️ Note About the "App Password" Prompt

During or after MFA setup, Microsoft may prompt you to create an "app password." This is a leftover feature from older versions of Microsoft 365 and is no longer used by any current Microsoft or Argus systems.

If you see this prompt:

• Don't worry about creating a strong, memorable password. It will never be used.
• Type anything you want into the field — random characters are fine.
• Click through to complete the prompt.
• Forget the password immediately — you will never need it again.

This prompt exists only because Microsoft hasn't removed it from the setup flow yet. Ignore it and move on.

When to Submit a Ticket

Submit a ticket if:

• You no longer have access to your old phone AND did not back up Authenticator.
• You've set up Authenticator on the new phone, but sign-ins are still failing.
• You're getting a "Your account is locked" message that doesn't clear after waiting 5 minutes.
• You can't receive Authenticator prompts on your new phone but the app appears to be set up.

What to Include in Your Ticket

Please tell us:

1. Did you get a new phone, factory-reset your old one, or both?
2. Was Authenticator backed up before the switch? (If yes, sign in to it with your personal Microsoft account first — that often resolves the issue without IT involvement.)
3. Which Argus account is affected? (e.g., yourname@argusproperties.ca, yourname@fourpointskelowna.com, yourname@eldoradoresort.ca)
4. What does the MFA prompt show on screen? (Code request? Push notification with no response? Error message?)
5. Can you verify your identity? We'll typically need to contact your manager or use a known phone number to confirm.

Pro Tips

• Enable cloud backup the day you set up Authenticator the first time. Don't wait until you need it.
• Keep your personal Microsoft account credentials somewhere safe (password manager). The backup is useless if you can't sign in to recover it.
• Don't share Authenticator codes with anyone, including IT — we will never ask for your MFA code. If anyone asks (even claiming to be from IT), refuse and report the request.

Related Articles

• Outlook Keeps Prompting for Password — First Steps
• Password Reset and Account Lockout — What to Do
• Security Awareness: Recognizing Phishing Attempts

KB-190001 | Created: May 20, 2026