How to use Microsoft Authenticator as your password manager

I use a password manager on my PC and mobile devices. For me, it’s still the best way, and really the only way, to combine all the complex and unique passwords for my online accounts. I recommend all website users to use a password manager for the same purpose. But if you don’t have a dedicated password manager and you already use Microsoft Authenticator for two-factor authenticationyou can use that app to manage passwords.

Microsoft Authenticator can generate, store, and apply passwords at websites through autofill. In addition to supporting iOS, iPadOS, and Android devices, the autofill option works on the desktop versions of Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge via an extension.

If you need to download Microsoft Authenticator on your mobile device, download it iOS, iPadOS or Android. Open the app and tap the Password icon on the bottom toolbar. Your first job is to add login information for your online accounts. You can import them all in one shot from another browser, or add them one by one manually.

Also: Why you should use a password manager

Import password from Chrome

To help you enter them, a message will automatically pop up asking if you have saved passwords in other apps. Tap the notification. If the message doesn’t appear, go to Settings, scroll down the screen, and select the setting for Enter Password. For this process, you can import passwords from Google Chrome or from a CSV file. To go the Chrome route, tap the link or button to Import from Google Chrome. Follow the steps to run this process in Chrome (Figure 1).

Figure 1

In Chrome on your mobile device, go to Settings > Password. Select the option for Export Passwords. Click the Export Password button. At the iOS or Android Share screen, select Authenticator as the destination. You are returned to Microsoft Authenticator where the entered passwords appear (Figure 2).

Figure 2

Import password from CSV file

If you don’t use Chrome on your phone or most of your passwords are stored in another browser, you can import your credentials via a CSV file. For that, you first export your password from your chosen browser to CSV format. The specific steps for this vary depending on the browser. In general, though, you’ll want to find the Passwords screen in your browser and look for the command for Export Credentials or Export Passwords. Select CSV format.

Whether you export your passwords on a mobile device or a PC, you will need to provide a CSV file for your device, which you can do by copying it to a backup and sharing service, for example like OneDrive, Google Drive, or iCloud.

In the Microsoft Authenticator app, tap the notification asking if you store passwords in other apps, or go to Settings and select the setting for Enter Password. This time, select the option for Import from CSV. Navigate to the online service and the folder where you saved the CSV file and select it. Your entered password will then appear (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Add a password manually

Of course, you can also manually add new accounts to the app. At the Password screen, tap the + sign to add a password. Then enter the URL, username, and password for the website account you want to add. When done, tap Save (Figure 4).

Figure 4

Create a password

Microsoft Authenticator can generate passwords for new or existing accounts. In the iPhone app, tap the three-dot icon and select Password Generator. In the Android version, tap the plus icon and select Generate Password. Click the Customize Password link to set the password length and complexity, choosing to include or exclude letters, numbers, and special characters. Tap the refresh icon to create another password. When done, tap the Copy Password button to paste the password elsewhere. Otherwise, tap the disk icon to use the password in the new account you want to add to the app (Figure 5).

Figure 5

Use AutoFill

The Authenticator app will automatically populate your username and password for saved online accounts. But first, you need to enable this feature. On iPhone, go to Settings > Passwords > AutoFill Passwords. Turn on the switch for Autofill Passwords and select Authenticator to set it as the default autofill app. Also, uncheck any other apps in the autofill list. On your Android phone, go to Settings in the Authenticator app. Turn on the switch for Set as autofill provider and Autofill on other apps and websites (Figure 6).

Figure 6

On iPhone, autofill from third-party apps like Microsoft Authenticator only works with Safari. But you can also use it with any app where you need to sign in. Open Safari and browse to one of the websites or open one of the apps where your credentials are stored in the Authenticator app. Tap the field for the username. In some cases, a button for Authenticator will show your exact name. If so, tap that button. Tap the password entry field, then tap the button for your account name (Figure 7).

Figure 7

In other cases, the key icon appears just above the keyboard. Tap that icon and the Authenticator app shows the account. Select your account name in the app. The fields for the username and password are then populated. Tap the Sign In button and you’re logged into the website or app (Figure 8).

Figure 8

On an Android phone, the autofill process is similar to that of an iPhone. Open your favorite browser or open a specific application. Tap the username field, and the account name from the Authenticator app will appear above or below the field. Tap that name. For the password field, the account name appears above the keyboard. Tap that name and then sign in to the Authenticator app. Both the username and password fields must be filled in, allowing you to log in to the website or app (Figure 9).

Figure 9

Use Edge and Chrome on the desktop

Finally, you can use the Microsoft Authenticator autofill feature in the desktop versions of Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome via an extension. In Chrome or Edge, go to Chrome Web Store Link for Microsoft AutoFill and add a browser extension. Browse to the website where the account is saved in Authenticator. Click in the username field and your account name will appear below it. Click on the name and the Authenticator will log you into the website (Figure 10).

Figure 10