Two Factor Authentication

Method 1 - Authenticator app

The first step to set this method up, is to go to your relevant app store and download Microsoft Authenticator app.

The image below shows the logo you need to look for, and the app is available in both the Google Play & Apple App Stores.

When you have the app installed on your mobile phone head over to https://aka.ms/mfasetup

Sign in with your SERC email address and password, like below, but change demo1@serc.uk to your own SERC login details.

You will be prompted that more information is required.

This is the start of the 2FA setup process.

Click Next to continue...

You will now be at the start of the setup process. The default option is the Authenticator app, which is what you have chosen to setup.

Click Next to continue..

Clicking Next will generate your QR code that you need to scan on your mobile phone.

Open the authenticator app on your mobile and choose, Add a new account

Then choose Work or school account.

Then choose Scan a QR code.

If Microsoft Authenticator prompts asking for permissions, you need to allow the app use of your camera to scan the QR code previously generated.

Now you need to scan the QR code on screen using your mobile phone.

After you scan the QR code, you should get a message saying account added.

Once the account was added on your mobile.

Go back to your computer and click Next. This will now send a test notification for you to approve.

Once you approve the test notification successfully on your mobile, you should see a green tick and a message stating, Notification approved, on your computer.

When you click Next, you will be asked to setup a second method of authentication as a backup way of accessing your account.

The choices are:

• Phone call to your mobile phone to approve (using the # key) - You must use this option if you use VDI and remote apps
• Text message to your mobile containing a 6 digit one time password (OTP)
• Security questions

The choice is yours, but if you need to use VDI and remote apps you need to use the phone call option

Backup 2FA Method - Phone call

To use phone call as your second method, choose call me (you won't be charged).

Choose United Kingdom (+44) then enter your mobile number in the box provided. (You can leave the leading zero in the number).

You should see a message on screen saying, we are calling your number

Answer the call then press #.

You should get the message on screen saying call answered and your phone was successfully registered.

Click Next to finish the setup process.

Click Done to continue on to your security info summary screen.

From this screen you add more methods or change your default sign in method.

Backup 2FA Method - Text Message

To use phone call as your second method, choose text me a code.

Choose United Kingdom (+44) then enter your mobile number in the box provided. (You can leave the leading zero in the number).

Click Next, a text message should then be sent to your phone containing a 6 digit, one time password.

Type the 6 digit code into the box on the screen.

Click Next to proceed. If the code was correct, then you should see the message saying SMS verified and your phone was registered successfully.

Click Next to finish the process.

Click Done to continue on to your security info summary screen.

From this screen you add more methods or change your default sign in method.

Backup 2FA Method - Security Questions

To use security questions you need to click on I want to set up a different method, which is located on the bottom left of the screen

This will bring up a drop down box where you can change the method.

Choose Security questions from the drop down choices.

Complete the security questions then click Done.

Once complete, you should get a Success! message on screen showing you have completed the setup process.

Click 'Done' to continue to your security info summary screen (shown below). You can also go back and change these methods at anytime by visiting https://aka.ms/setupsecurityinfo 

You're finished! You can now navigate to the Student Intranet (www.serc.ac.uk/student)

Method 2 - Phone Call

Head over to https://aka.ms/mfasetup

Sign in with your SERC email address and password, like below, but change demo1@serc.uk to your own SERC login details.

You will be prompted that more information is required.

This is the start of the 2FA setup process.

Click Next to continue...

By default, the setup process tries to get you to setup 2FA using the authenticator app.

You have chosen to setup a phone call, so you need to click on I want to set up a different method at the bottom left of the page.

On the next pop up, choose Phone and click Confirm.

Make sure you choose Call me and enter your mobile phone number. You can include the leading 0.

When you click on the Next button, the Microsoft authentication service will call your mobile phone.

To finsh the setup, you need to answer the phone call, then press the # key. You do not need to listen to all the message.

Once successful you should see the green tick with the success message like the image below.

Then click Next.

You need to add a second method now.

Like before, it wants to install the Authenticator app and use that, but if you don't want to install this on your phone you can use security questions.

As before click on I want to set up a different method in the bottom left.

Then choose security questions and fill in the answer to the questions.

Click Done when you have completed the security questions.

You should then get a success message with two green ticks showing both methods are complete, like the image below:

Click 'Done' to continue to your security info summary screen (shown below). You can also go back and change these methods at anytime by visiting https://aka.ms/setupsecurityinfo 

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You're finished! You can now navigate to the Student Intranet (www.serc.ac.uk/student)