Microsoft Authenticator for iOS is updated to officially stop supporting Apple Watch

On February 7, Microsoft confirmed that it had deleted the Microsoft Authenticator app from the Apple Watch after updating it on the App Store today.

Microsoft wrote in the update log: "This Microsoft Authenticator update removes support for Apple Watch." Microsoft pointed out that in the notification settings of Apple Watch, you can still choose to mirror iPhone reminders from the app to your Apple Watch.

Microsoft Authenticator for iOS is mainly used to enable two-factor authentication for Microsoft accounts during the login process. Microsoft added support for Apple Watch in 2018. Microsoft previously announced that the Apple Watch app will stop supporting it in early 2023.

Attached is the official statement from Microsoft:

Apple Watch Support

Q: Does Authenticator on iOS support Apple Watch?

A: In the upcoming January 2023 version of Authenticator for iOS, there will be no companion app for watchOS because watchOS is incompatible with the Authenticator security feature. This means you cannot install or use Authenticator on Apple Watch. Therefore, it is recommended to remove Authenticator from Apple Watch. This change only affects Apple Watch, so you will still be able to use Authenticator on other devices.

Apple Watch not showing account

Q: When I open Authenticator on Apple Watch, why don't all my accounts appear?

A: Authenticator only supports push notifications on the Apple Watch companion app for personal Microsoft accounts or work or school accounts. For other accounts (such as Google or Facebook), you must open the Authenticator app on your phone to view verification codes.

Apple Watch Notifications

Q: Why can't I approve or deny notifications on my Apple Watch?

A: First, make sure you've updated Authenticator to version 6.0.0 or higher on your iPhone. Then, open the Authenticator app on your Apple Watch and look for any accounts that have a "Set Up" button underneath them. Complete the setup process to approve notifications for those accounts.

Q: Why does approving or denying a login session fail on my Apple Watch?

A: Sometimes approving or denying a session on watchOS fails with the error message "Cannot communicate with phone. Make sure the Watch screen stays awake for future requests. See the FAQ for more information." In these cases, watchOS cannot establish a connection with the phone and Apple is aware of this issue. In the meantime, any notifications that require the Authenticator watchOS app should be approved on your phone instead.

Q: What notifications are not supported by Apple Watch?

A: Apple Watch does not support certain authenticator notifications. These notifications include digital matching, passwordless login for business accounts, and location-based access for business accounts notifications. For these unsupported notifications, the message displayed reads "Request type not supported on Watch. Open phone for approval.".

Apple Watch communication error

Q: I’m getting communication errors between Apple Watch and my phone. What can I do to troubleshoot?

A: This error occurs when the Watch screen goes to sleep before it finishes communicating with the phone. If the error occurs during the installation process, try running the installer again, making sure the Watch remains awake until the process is complete. Also open the app on your phone and respond to any prompts that appear. If your phone and Watch still can't communicate, you can try the following:

Force quit the Authenticator mobile app and then open it again on your iPhone.

Force quit the companion app on your Apple Watch.

• Open the Authenticator companion app on your Watch.
• Press and hold the Side button until the Power Off screen appears.
• Release the side button and press and hold the Digital Crown to force quit the active app.
• Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your phone and Watch, then turn them back on.
• Restart your iPhone and Watch.

If an error occurs while trying to approve a notification, keep the Apple Watch screen awake until the request is complete and you hear a sound indicating success.

Apple Watch companion app not syncing

Q: Why isn't the Authenticator app for Apple Watch syncing or showing up on my watch?

A: If the app doesn't show up on your Watch, try the following:

Make sure your Watch is running watchOS 4.0 or later.

Sync your Watch again.

Apple Watch companion app glitches

Q: My Apple Watch companion app is crashing. Can I send you the crash log so I can investigate?

A: First, make sure you choose to share your analytics data with us. If you are a TestFlight user, you are already signed up. Otherwise, you can go to Settings > Privacy > Analytics and select the Share iPhone & Watch Analytics and Share with App Developers options.

After you register, you can try to reproduce the crash so that the crash log is automatically sent to a Microsoft service expert for investigation. However, if you cannot reproduce the crash, you can manually copy the log file and send it to us.

Open the Watch app on your phone, go to Settings > General, and click Copy Watch Analytics.

Find the crash under Settings > Privacy > Analytics > Analytics Data and copy its text.

Open Authenticator on your phone and paste the text you copied in step 2 into the "Describe your problem" box under "Have a problem?" on the "Send Feedback" page.