Microsoft Stops Using SMS Codes for Security

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If you have waited for a login code that never arrived, you know how frustrating it is. You type your password, and Microsoft asks for a code. Now, Microsoft wants to change this process.

Microsoft will stop using SMS codes for personal accounts. Instead, it wants users to use passkeys and verified email. This change affects users of Outlook, OneDrive, Windows, Xbox, or Microsoft 365.

This change may seem like another tech company forcing you to change. However, there is a real security reason for it. SMS codes were not designed to protect your digital life, and criminals have found ways to abuse them.

A woman in Florida lost money due to a SIM swap scam.

Microsoft is stopping the use of SMS codes for security. It is pushing users to use passkeys and verified email instead.

Your phone has a lot of personal data. In a free online class, you can learn how to protect it. You will learn how to improve your privacy settings and spot scams.

Microsoft says SMS authentication is a major source of fraud. Text messages can be intercepted or stolen through scams.

If a criminal gets into your account, they can do a lot of damage. They can read your email or reset other passwords.

A scammer may call your phone carrier and try to move your number to another SIM card. Microsoft wants users to move to passkeys.

A SIM swap scam led to a $1.8M cyber fraud case.

A passkey lets you sign in without a traditional password. You can use your face, fingerprint, or device PIN instead.

Passkeys use cryptography and are harder to steal than SMS codes. They can also be easier to use once set up.

Passkeys are more secure than SMS codes. You can sign in with your fingerprint or face instead of waiting for a text.

Microsoft is crossing a privacy line.

Security upgrades can be annoying, but SMS codes are not secure. Passkeys can feel confusing at first, but they are more secure.

It can be confusing to set up a new passkey, especially if you use multiple devices. Microsoft says verified email will still be part of the account recovery process.

Before setting up a passkey, use a device you trust and make sure your browser and operating system are updated.

Microsoft's support pages may have different instructions, but you can find the option to add a new way to sign in.

The most-used password in 2025 has been revealed.

Text-message authentication is vulnerable to phishing attacks and SIM-swap scams.

Do not rush through the process of setting up a passkey. Take a few minutes to do it correctly.

Make sure your recovery email is up to date. If it is not, update it.

Remove old phone numbers from your Microsoft account.

Check if your Microsoft account still lists an old number and remove it if necessary.

Microsoft Authenticator can give you another secure way to verify your identity.

If Microsoft offers backup codes, store them securely.

Even with passkeys, a password manager can still help. It can store strong passwords and flag reused logins.

If someone gets into your email, they can access all your accounts. Take steps to lock them out.

Passkeys allow Microsoft users to sign in with a fingerprint, face scan, or device PIN.

Microsoft's move away from SMS codes may feel inconvenient, but it is more secure. A passkey can make account theft harder for scammers.

Would you trust a text message to protect your account? Let us know.

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Kurt 'CyberGuy' Knutsson is a tech journalist who loves technology and gadgets. He writes for Fox News and FOX Business.

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