Microsoft Authenticator ceases support for Apple Watch

If you're used to logging into your accounts with ease through the app on your Apple Watch, it's time to find a different solution.

Microsoft Authenticator is discontinuing support for the Apple Watch, making it no longer possible to log into your linked accounts with just the wearable device, as reported by MacRumors. Despite this, the 6.7.3 iOS update for the app states that users can still view Microsoft Authenticator notifications from their iPhone on their Apple Watch.

Microsoft launched the Authenticator app for Apple Watch in 2018 as a convenient solution for multi-factor authentication (MFA) sign-ins. Instead of opening the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone, you could approve log-ins through a notification on your watch. However, in December 2022, Microsoft announced the shutdown of Authenticator on Apple Watch. The reason behind the decision is unclear, with Microsoft merely stating that watchOS is "incompatible with Authenticator security features."

The loss of Microsoft Authenticator is a disappointment, as it was one of the most practical apps for Apple Watch, which has already seen several popular apps disappear, including Pokémon Go, Uber, and Instagram.