Turn on the Backup Option on Your Old Phone
If you need to recover your accounts on a new phone, you’ll have to turn on the backup option on your old one. To do this, open Microsoft Authenticator. Tap the three horizontal lines at the top left, and then tap Settings.
In the Backup section, toggle-On Cloud Backup on an Android phone, or iCloud Backup on an iPhone.
Your accounts will then be backed up to the Microsoft account you used when you first set up Microsoft Authenticator. iPhones also require that you have an iCloud account.
If you’re concerned about what’s actually backed up, it’s pretty straightforward. Your account and usernames, and verification code.
Using the Recovery Option on Your New Phone
Next, you’ll need to install Microsoft Authenticator on your new phone. Download it from the Google Play for Android or the Apple App Store for iPhone. Don’t set up any accounts using Microsoft Authenticator until after you’ve used the Recovery tool because it will overwrite matching site accounts.
To use the Recovery tool, open Microsoft Authenticator on your new phone, and then click Begin Recovery.
You’ll be asked to sign in to the Microsoft account you used for the backup on your old phone. Your accounts will then automatically be added to Microsoft Authenticator on your new one.
Revalidate on the New and Remove From the Old
Some accounts will require you to revalidate, either by signing in to those accounts or scanning a QR code. Microsoft Authenticator will display a message if you need to do this. It’s essentially the same process you went through when you set up the account originally.
It’s also important to remove the accounts from your old phone. However, don’t do this until you’ve tested and made sure you can access these accounts on your new phone via Microsoft Authenticator.
To remove an account from your old phone, open Microsoft Authenticator on it. Tap the account you want to remove, and then tap Remove Account.