MS Authenticator lost all my accounts

Question

Today I lost access to all my accounts/codes stored in the Authenticator app. When I click "Start Recovery" I get a message "There is no backup stored in your iCloud account". I had backup turned on before switching to a new phone and I was able to get recovery from backups in the past. Is there a way to check if a backup exists? Where it is stored in iCloud?

Answer 1

The canned response is all anyone receives, and then directed to use the nonexistent backup. My wife is going through this right now. The data file is stored on your iCloud Drive if there is a backup. YOUR iCloud Drive. It would be nice to check your iCloud for that file. You have a right to know where that is located, not to get the run around from a third party like Microsoft where the support act like they don’t know what the people affected are asking. It’s pretty clear, where is the backup?? Unfortunately for many people Authenticator didn’t install with iCloud backup switched on, exponentially adding to the chances of inability to recover in a phone upgrade, accident or loss. Most people would assume if they backup iCloud, this would be something that would also be backed up. Unreal the hoops to have to go through to access your own information. Positive customer experience: zero. Clarity is what’s needed, if people are forced into using the Authenticator app through work etc, with the 365, then during setup, turn on that damn backup switch in settings by default. Ridiculous.

Answer 2

Look at that.

When I formatted the phone. I installed again.

I signed in. Didn't recover.

Then we go there and there is an option (BACKUP ON THE CLOUD). DISABLED.

1- FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ONCE YOU ACTIVATE. HE CANNOT ASK. YES RECOVER AUTOMATICALLY. AS HE ASKS, WHEN ACTIVATING. IT OVERWRITES YOUR BACKUP. HOW CAN A MICROSOFT BUSINESS?

2- AND TO JUSTIFY THE (INTENTION). HE PUT IT BEFORE (LOGIN). A REVERSE UX OPTION, A UX THAT LEADS TO ERROR-INDUCTION. (LOGIN AND RECOVER THE BACK) AFTER THE LOGIN BUTTON. THAT IS, IF YOU LOG IN NORMALLY ( WHY DOES IT NOT RECOVER THE BACKUP? ) AND, IT STILL INDUCES, YOU ACTIVATE BACKUP IN THE CLOUD TO DELETE YOUR SAFE.

3- WHAT IS THE INTENTION OF OLOCARING 2 TYPE OF LOGIN? LOGIN WITH BACKUP AND LOGIN WITHOUT BACKP? (DO JUST MAKE YOU LOSE THE KEYS). THERE IS NO OTHER REASON. BECAUSE IT IS A REVERSE UX THAT THESE COMPANIES ARE PRACTICING.

GOOGLE, MICROSOFT, META-GROUP AND OTHERS.

I LOST OVER 20 KEYS. EVEN SOME ACCOUNTS ARE UNRECOVERABLE, MAINLY STRATEGIC ACCOUNTS LIKE GITHUB AMONG OTHERS OF THEIR INTEREST.

Answer 3

Same problem here, Opened the app on my iPad and android phone and all passwords and addresses were gone. Couldn’t recover them. Luckily I have a 1password back up. The Authenticator app is seriously unreliable and I’m worried about how secure it is now as I’ve no idea where my password data has gone. I’ll be migrating full time to one password and keychain. No reply from MS here is unacceptable for such a significant problem. Maybe helpful to alert the the media about this major flaw in the app,

Answer 4

I got the same problem. Sad no ANSWERS have come up since the start of this thread. Frustrating.

Answer 5

Terrific, me too... sort of. I had trouble adding my work account so I was asked to uninstall and reinstall Authenticator. I had backup enabled and I had accounts for FB, Amazon and PayPal. After restoring from backup - WITH NO ERRORS - I now have my FB TFA restored and I have to go deal with Amazon and PayPal's recovery process. Yay.