Enable or disable multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) prevents unauthorized access to your Microsoft 365 account. Once MFA is set up, you'll provide another verification method when signing in, such as a code sent to you in a text message. If your password is ever compromised, attackers can't duplicate this verification method and are blocked from accessing your account.

The steps in this article work best for individual users. To automatically enable or disable MFA for all users in your organization, manage your security defaults.

Enable multi-factor authentication

Turning on MFA will require all selected users to add a verification method.

1. Sign in to Outlook on the web with your Microsoft 365 email address and password.
2. Once you're signed in, go to the multi-factor authentication page.
3. Select the checkbox next to the user having MFA enabled.
   
4. The quick steps will display on the right. Select Enable.
   
5. In the confirmation window, select enable multi-factor auth, and then close.
6. Select the checkbox for the same user. Then under quick steps, select Enforce.
   
7. Sign in to Outlook on the web using the email account for which MFA was just enforced. You'll need to enter the phone number you want the verification code sent to and select Next.
   

   Note: You can also use the Microsoft Authenticator app instead of providing a phone number.

8. After you've set up MFA, you'll get an app password for email clients that use basic authentication (like Outlook 2010). Make note of this and select Done.

We recommend adding another sign-in method in case you lose access to your primary method.

Disable multi-factor authentication

Turning off MFA will stop requiring a verification method for the selected users. They'll only need their email address and password to sign in.

1. Sign in to Outlook on the web with your Microsoft 365 email address and password. If you don't have access to the sign-in method, first reset your MFA.
2. Once you're signed in, go to the multi-factor authentication page.
3. Select the checkbox next to the user you want to remove MFA from.
   
4. The quick steps will display on the right. Select Disable.
   
5. In the confirmation window, select yes, and then close.

Related steps

• Add or change my multi-factor authentication method
• I can't access my multi-factor authentication method

More info

• When securing your mailbox, you may want to sign out of all devices and reconnect using MFA.
• We also recommend securing your GoDaddy account with 2-step verification.