I'm getting mixed information on whether MFA will be mandatory for Office 365 starting September 30th. I work at a small construction company where our office staff has MFA set up for email, but our field workers only access email on their phones and don't use computers at all. There are about 30 guys in the field who solely rely on email for communication. I always thought MFA wasn't that important for them, but if it turns out to be required, what would be the easiest way for them to set up MFA?
5 Answers
I've found that using the Microsoft Authenticator app is the simplest option if they have smartphones. It’s pretty user-friendly!
Exactly! But some of my coworkers freaked out. They thought that meant we could track what they’re doing on their phones, but it's just a security key to access their email.
I’m curious too about whether this is an organization-wide requirement. I haven’t seen any official confirmation of that yet.
The MFA rule mainly applies to accounts accessing Azure services like the portal or Intune. If they just use Microsoft 365 for emails, MFA isn't strictly needed but is definitely recommended.
Honestly, just set up MFA for everyone. It's no hassle once they're logged in on their phones! I prefer Microsoft Authenticator since it's secure and avoids showing codes on lock screens.
But would it be practical to use one phone for 30 users? You'd have to keep sharing the code for every login.
You could look into setting up passkeys instead. That way, the same phone can authenticate without needing MFA constantly. In construction, these guys are more tech-savvy than you think; just don’t underestimate them!
First, get everyone on the Microsoft Authenticator app—no exceptions. This includes everyone from field workers to the CEO. You don't want a single point of failure. And maybe consider hiring someone with experience in managing these systems or find a reliable IT service provider. The right support can make a big difference!
But how do they get set up without a computer? Do they just scan a QR code?