Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) helps secure user sign-ins for cloud services beyond just a single password. Users who log in to Office 365 from outside the University domain (or ‘off-campus’) will be prompted to set up 2FA before accessing Office 365 applications through an Internet browser beginning Wednesday, March 6th. With 2FA for Office 365, users will be required to acknowledge a phone call, text message, or app notification on their cellphones after correctly entering their passwords. They can sign in only after this second authentication factor has been satisfied.
Note: If you are an employee of the University, you will be receiving an email with activation links to enroll with Duo Security’s two-factor authentication service. If you are not an employee of UT Health San Antonio, please proceed with the set up instructions on this page.
Select one of these topics to get started
Setup Experience – Describes the process of setting up a Microsoft account and two-factor authentication for the first time.
Signing in with an Alternate Method – Describes how you can set up a backup verification method if you don’t have the primary phone or device that you initially set up.
Changing Your Settings – Shows you how you can change your settings such as phone number or preferred enrollment method.
Setup a Microsoft Account
1. When you are invited to collaborate on UT Health San Antonio’s Office 365 portal you will need to create a Microsoft account. The invitation will lead you to the page below with a link to Create a Microsoft account.
2. Enter an email address you would like to use for your Microsoft account and click Next.
3. Create the password you would like to use for your Microsoft account and click Next.
4. You will receive an email from Microsoft with a security code to verify your email address.
5. Enter the security code on the prompt to verify your email address and click Next.
6. Finally, enter the characters you see on your screen to satisfy Microsoft’s validation process and click Next.
Congratulations! You have created your Microsoft account. Please proceed to the instructions below to set up two-factor authentication.
Setup Two-Factor Authentication
1. When setting up two-factor authentication you may receive one of these messages:
(1)“Your admin has required that you set up this account for additional security verification”. Click the button Set it up now.
(2) OR “More information required”. Click the button Next.
2. Select the default method you would like to receive the code you need to log in.
Use your mobile phone as the contact method
How it works: When signing in to an Office 365 application or service, this two-step verification method prompts Microsoft to either: send you a text message with a number code that you enter on the sign-in page or call your mobile phone to prompt you to hit the # key.
1. Select Authentication Phone from the drop-down list.
2. Choose your country from the drop-down list, and enter your mobile phone number.
3. Select the method you would prefer to use with your mobile phone – text or call.
4. Select Next to verify your phone number.
5. Depending on the mode you selected, Microsoft sends you a text or calls you. Follow the instructions provided on the screen, then select Verify.
6. You maybe prompted a second time to enter a code. Note: This second code will be different from the first one you received. When you receive the second code enter it into the box and click Verify.
Important:The codes sent to you from Microsoft will only work for a period of about 30 seconds. If you wait too long before entering the code you may have to reload the page to get a new code.
We recommend setting up more than one verification method. To set up additional security verification options, click here .
Use your office phone as the contact method
How it works: When signing in to an Office 365 application or service, this two-step verification method prompts Microsoft to call you. Answering the phone and hiting the # key verifies that you are the authorized user on your account.
1. Select Office Phone from the drop down options.
2. Enter your office phone number.
3. Select Contact me to verify your phone number. This will initiate a call from Microsoft to your office phone. Be sure you are near your phone.
4. Click Done.
We recommend setting up more than one verification method. To set up additional security verification options, click here.
Use the Microsoft Authenticator mobile app as the contact method
Using this method requires that you install the Microsoft authenticator app on your cellphone or tablet. The app works in one of two ways:
- Notification. The app can help prevent unauthorized access to accounts and stop fraudulent transactions by pushing a notification to your smartphone or tablet. Simply view the notification, and if it’s legitimate, select Verify. Otherwise, you can select Deny.
- Verification code. The app can be used as a software token to generate an OAuth verification code. After you enter your username and password, you enter the code provided by the app into the sign-in screen. The verification code provides a second form of authentication.
The steps in this article are based on the Microsoft Authenticator mobile app, which is available for Windows Phone, Android, and iOS.
1. Select Mobile app from the drop-down list.
2. Select Set up.
3. Follow the steps to configure the mobile app.
Steps to configure the Microsoft Authenticator mobile app
1. After installing the app on your phone or tablet, open the app.
2. Select + to add an account. (On Android devices, select the three dots, then Add account.)
3. Tap the Scan Barcode icon. This launches the camera on your phone so you can scan the QR code picture that came up with the configure mobile app screen.
- If your camera is not working properly, you can select to enter the information manually. To Add an account manually, follow the instructions in the two bullets below:
- Select the Enter account manually button.
- Enter the code and the URL that are provided on the same page that shows you the barcode. This info goes in the Code and URL boxes on the mobile app.
4. Click Done to close the barcode screen.
We recommend setting up more than one verification method in case you lose access to your mobile app. To set up additional security verification options, click here
Signing in with an Alternate Method
Sometimes you don’t have the phone or device that you set up as your preferred verification method. This situation is why we recommend that you set up backup methods for your account. The following steps will show you how to sign in with an alternate method when your primary method may not be available.
1. Sign in to an application or service in Office 365 using your username and password.
2. Select Use a different verification option. You will see different verification options based on how many you have setup.
To set up additional security verification options,click here
3. Choose an alternate method and sign in.
