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Microsoft Authenticator Discontinues Apple Watch App

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Microsoft Authenticator is no longer available on the Apple Watch following an update to the app released on the App Store today.

Microsoft Authenticator
"This update removes Microsoft Authenticator from Apple Watch," reads the release notes for the update. Microsoft notes that in the Apple Watch's notification settings, you can still choose to mirror iPhone alerts from the app to your Apple Watch.

Primarily used for signing into Microsoft accounts with two-step verification enabled, the Microsoft Authenticator for iOS gained an Apple Watch companion app in 2018. Microsoft previously announced that the Apple Watch app would be discontinued in early 2023.

Those looking for an alternative two-factor authentication app on the Apple Watch can check out the Authenticator App by 2Stable and Authy by Twilio.

The Microsoft Authenticator app for Apple Watch joins a long list of third-party watchOS apps that have been discontinued over the last few years, either because of perceived redundancy or lack of user uptake. Other notable Apple Watch apps that have been discontinued include Twitter, Instagram, Target, Trello, Slack, Hulu, and Uber.

(Thanks, Aaron!)

Tag: Microsoft

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Top Rated Comments

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xpxp2002
40 months ago

LoL who needs MS Authenticator when a competitive authenticator is already built into iOS? (I suppose folks still stuck on PCs.)

But ultimately I wonder if authenticators in general will be depreciated as the move to passwordless login increases.
The Microsoft Authenticator provides seamless and passwordless authentication to personal Microsoft accounts, Azure, Office 365, and a number of other popular Microsoft services. That doesn't work natively with iOS (or Android, for that matter).

Being able to approve requests and even do number matching directly from the watch was very convenient.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T
TheLisnakFactor
40 months ago
This sucks. I use the watch app all day with work. I have a bunch of Microsoft accounts that require the dumb app - and the watch app makes it so much easier as I just click an approve button over the iPhone app that requires me to open the app, FaceID and then click - and the worst part is its clicking in a different place on the screen every time because the notifications aren't always the same size.

Microsoft should bring this back - their added feature of number clicking can easily be implemented on the watch screen - the watch screens can display 3 2-digit numbers easily.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jakey rolling Avatar
jakey rolling
40 months ago

LoL who needs MS Authenticator when a competitive authenticator is already built into iOS? (I suppose folks still stuck on PCs.)
People who use their computers for work, perhaps?
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
D
dtlee1974
40 months ago

People who use their computers for work, perhaps?
Exactly. That post was another example of the "Well if I don't use it, no one does" attitude. I don't use Spotify for example, but I understand a lot of people do.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gank41 Avatar
gank41
40 months ago

LoL who needs MS Authenticator when a competitive authenticator is already built into iOS? (I suppose folks still stuck on PCs.)

But ultimately I wonder if authenticators in general will be depreciated as the move to passwordless login increases.
We use all Microsoft Apps for our work (very large healthcare org) and have no choice but to use MS Authenticator.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B
bluespark
40 months ago
This is too bad. The Apple Watch is the perfect platform for authenticator apps, since it’s attached to you. It would almost always be easier to authenticate through the Watch than through the phone.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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