Enable Passwordless Sign-In in Microsoft Authenticator

Applies to: Employees, Students, Microsoft Authenticator

This guide walks you through turning on passwordless sign-in for your SMU Microsoft 365 account using the Microsoft Authenticator app. Once enabled, you’ll no longer need to enter your password — just approve the sign-in using Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.

Requirements

Before you start, make sure:

You’ve already added your SMU account to the Microsoft Authenticator app
Your device has Face ID, Touch ID, or a secure passcode set up
Your account is registered with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Note About Device Registration

To use Passwordless Sign-In, your phone must be registered as a trusted device in SMU’s Microsoft environment.
This is not device management.

Registering your device does not allow SMU to:

View your personal data
Manage or control your phone
Install/remove apps
Track your location
Perform remote wipes

What registration does do:

Confirms the device belongs to you
Allows secure sign-in requests to be sent to your phone

Only basic diagnostic details (such as device type and OS version) are visible — nothing related to personal usage or content.

Steps to Enable Passwordless Sign-In

Open the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone
Tap on your SMU account
Tap Set up passwordless sign-in requests located under Other Ways To Sign In
Sign-in with your phone page will appear
Wait a moment while the app registers the device with your account
Once complete, you’ll see a message like:
“Phone sign-in enabled for this account”

You're All Set

From now on, when signing in to your SMU account:

You’ll enter only your email address
If you still see a password prompt, select “Use app instead” located below the password box.
A 2-digit number will appear on your screen
You’ll open the Authenticator app, tap the matching number, and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode

No password required!