Microsoft Authenticator will stop supporting Microsoft account backups on Android in 2027

If you use Microsoft Authenticator on Android, there is a pretty important backup change coming your way. Microsoft will stop allowing personal Microsoft accounts to back up Authenticator data from January 2027. Android users will instead need Google One for this.

Android users are getting a very different backup route

Microsoft quietly updated its support documentation with the upcoming change (via Tweakers). The company says personal Microsoft accounts will no longer work for Authenticator backups from January 2027. Instead, users will need to select Microsoft Authenticator through Google One. That means Android users will need a Google account alongside their Microsoft account for cloud backups.

The change affects the optional backup feature inside Microsoft Authenticator. This feature can save authentication data when users need to recover their accounts after losing a phone. Interestingly, Microsoft has not explained why it is making the change. That makes the decision particularly unusual, especially because Google is now becoming part of the backup process.

iPhone users are not affected by the change

The upcoming change is specifically dedicated to Android users. Microsoft Authenticator users on iPhone can continue using iCloud for their backups. Microsoft Authenticator supports more than traditional six-digit verification codes. The app can also store passkeys, making backups useful when switching or losing devices.

For Android users, the change could therefore become important when replacing a phone. Without a backup, recovering stored authentication accounts can become considerably more frustrating. For now, Android users can continue using Microsoft accounts for Authenticator backups. However, that option will disappear when the January 2027 change arrives.