Microsoft’s invaluable Authenticator mobile app just got even better, with support for security notifications.

“When important events—such as a password change—happen on your personal Microsoft account, Microsoft Authenticator will send you a notification,” Microsoft’s Alex Simons explains. “You can then view your account activity and take actions to protect your account if needed. The goal of these notifications is to increase awareness and help you react quickly if there is unexpected activity.”

As you hopefully know, Microsoft Authenticator is one of the key methods by which you can better secure your Microsoft account (MSA). Launched in 2016—after a brief stint as “Azure Authenticator,” Microsoft Authenticator lets you use multi-factor authentication (MFA)—sometimes called two-factor authentication or two-step authentication in the consumer world—with your phone. So when you need to sign-in to your MSA, your phone will trigger a notification so you can approve that sign-in.

According to Microsoft, the latest release of this app will now trigger alerts when it detects sensitive or unusual actions on your MSA, such as changing your password, adding a new phone number or email address, or signing in from a new device or unusual location. And if you see suspicious behavior, you can view your account activity and take necessary actions to protect your account, including changing your password and updating your security contact information, right from within the app.

You can learn more about the Microsoft Authenticator app from the Microsoft website. I strongly recommend you use this app to protect your MSA.

Download Microsoft Authenticator for Android
Download Microsoft Authenticator for iOS

Tagged with 2FA, Microsoft Authenticator, Security