Microsoft tells Entra ID admins to move users off SMS and voice sign-in before February 2027
Users still relying on phone-based sign-in will be unable to complete multifactor authentication once Microsoft withdraws the methods.
Microsoft is again urging administrators of Entra ID to move users off SMS and voice sign-in before those methods are withdrawn. From February 1, 2027, Microsoft will stop providing SMS and voice authentication natively, and users relying on them will no longer be able to complete multifactor sign-in. Admins can switch to passkeys, QR code authentication, FIDO2 security keys or other supported methods, and the Entra SMS/Voice Policy Scanner script can locate accounts still using phone-based sign-in. Organisations that must keep phone authentication will need a third-party telecom provider configured through the Microsoft Security Store. The change covers workforce tenants only, not Azure AD B2C or Entra External ID.
Why it matters
The change pushes organisations running Entra ID workforce tenants toward passkeys, QR code authentication and FIDO2 security keys as the mainstream way to sign in. Microsoft is also making passkeys the default authentication experience from September, and it has already retired SMS first-factor sign-in for Entra ID Free tenants in August over phishing, fraud and account compromise risks. Organisations that cannot give up phone authentication will have to rely on a third-party telecom provider configured through the Microsoft Security Store. Azure AD B2C and Entra External ID are not affected.
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