![]() ![]() In a way, this all means that two-factor authentication for Microsoft Accounts is always there. If the user decides to enable the full protection provided by two-factor authentication, nothing will really change except that secondary verification will take place at every attempt to sign in to a Microsoft Account. However, if Microsoft detects unusual sign-in activity, or if the user attempts performing a highly sensitive operation (restoring from a cloud backup, syncing passwords), the system will then request additional verification with any method. The second authentication factor will NOT be normally prompted. For example, one can set up offline authentication with Authenticator app (made by Google, Microsoft, or one of the many third parties) as well as prompt-based authentication with Microsoft Authenticator (available for Google, iOS and both versions of Windows 10). What’s so unique about this setup is the ability for the user to configure all possible two-factor authentication methods (SMS, push, TOTP etc.) without actually ENABLING two-factor authentication. Interestingly, the SMS will be automatically processed by the setup tool no user interaction would be required when setting up that phone. If no two-factor authentication is configured but the user has a trusted phone number and the device being set up is a new phone, Microsoft will attempt to send a text message to that phone. ![]() Interestingly, Microsoft would do exactly the same verification if one sets up an account on a new PC (desktop, laptop or tablet) and attempts to restore from OneDrive backup. Microsoft would also try to verify Microsoft Account activities once the user attempts to restore a new phone (Windows Phone 8.1 or Windows 10 Mobile) from OneDrive backup. Just like Google, the company would verify unusual sign-in activities occurring from a new device in another country. Even if the user does not want to use two-factor authentication and does not set up any secondary authentication methods, in some circumstances Microsoft would still prompt to confirm account login. Microsoft employs a somewhat unique approach to two-factor authentication. No wonder the two versions of Microsoft’s latest OS, Windows 10, share the same approach to two-factor authentication. Beginning with Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1, Microsoft started unifying its mobile and desktop operating systems. ![]()
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