What’s changed
If you receive Microsoft MFA verification codes via text message (SMS), you may start to receive these codes through WhatsApp if it’s installed on your phone.
You'll be notified by SMS text message of this change the first time you receive a verification code in WhatsApp.
If you don’t have WhatsApp, or later uninstall WhatsApp, you’ll continue to receive a verification code by SMS text message.
Why has it changed
This is due to an update being rolled out globally by Microsoft to move users away from receiving verification codes via text message. WhatsApp’s end to end encryption and stronger protection against other security threats makes it more secure than text messages.
To check if a user has WhatsApp, Microsoft silently tries to deliver a message in the app by using the phone number you've registered for text message verification.
How to change your MFA verification methods
There is no mechanism to disable verification codes being sent via WhatsApp if you have chosen the ‘Phone text message (sms)’ option as your verification method.
If you’d prefer not to receive your verification codes via phone text message you can update or add different verification methods.
Visit the Layer up your account security with MFA webpage for information on:
- how to change or add verification methods.
- which verification methods are suitable to authenticate different types of activities, such as logging on to your University Microsoft 365 account, or resetting your password.