Staff: Using an Authenticator App for MFA

This page contains guidance on using an Authenticator App as a method for MFA.

Before proceeding, we recommend that review the information on the University’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) help page, which introduces MFA, and why it is important.

There are various Authenticator Apps available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Generally, the University would recommend using the Microsoft Authenticator App.

You may wish to use a different Authenticator App which you already have set up on your device, and one which you are familiar with. Whilst this should work, the University is unable to support all Authenticator Apps available, and therefore guidance and help may be limited.

The University would also advise against using an Authenticator App which has not been published by a reputable company (eg Microsoft, Google, etc)

Enrolling with the Microsoft Authenticator App

1.  Download and install the Microsoft Authenticator App from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
2.  Once installed, enrol with MFA by visiting mfa.chi.ac.uk. This is best to do from a web browser on a computer, but can also be done from your personal device. Read the welcome message and click ‘Start’ to begin
3.  You will be presented with the screen below. Select ‘Authenticator’ listed under ‘Other Authentication Methods’ listed below.
4.  Open the Microsoft Authenticator App on your personal device, and you may be asked to use the built-in biometrics security of your device to use the app (eg Fingerprint or Face ID Sensor). You may also be asked to allow the App to access different features of your phone, please approve of these requests.
5.  Within the Authenticator App, click on the three dots in the top right-hand corner and select ‘Add Account’. You will be presented with a choice of different accounts. Choose ‘Other account’.
   You may then be prompted to allow the App to use your camera, allow this permission.
6.  Back to your web browser, you will be given a screen where you can scan the QR code using the Authenticator App
7.  If you are using your mobile phone to enrol and therefore unable to scan the QR code, switch back to the web-browser and choose ‘Manual Pairing’. You will be given a Pairing Key to use in the App.
   You can select, and copy the Pairing Key rather than having to memorise it.
   Switch back to the App and on the QR code scanning area select ‘Or Enter Code Manually’ at the bottom of the screen.
   Enter a name to give the account, for example ‘University of Chichester’ and enter/paste the Pairing Key from the web browser, into the ‘Secret Key’ field.
8.  You will notice that your account is now registered in the App. In the web browser, select ‘Next’. You will be presented with the following
9.  Switch back to your Authenticator, select your account in the app and you will be given a ‘One Time Password’ or ‘OTP’.  Enter this into the field shown in the browser above.
10.  Once verified, you will then be prompted to authenticate. The next section will describe how to do this.

Authenticating using the Authenticator App

When you sign-in to a University service where MFA is required, you will be asked to use your Authenticator App to sign in.

1.  You will be presented with the following
2.  Open the Authenticator App and select the account you registered with the University. You will be given a time-limited OTP (One Time Passcode) which you will need to sign in.
3.  Switch back to the web browser, enter the code and select ‘Sign On’.
4.  You will now be authenticated.

Removing the Authenticator App

You can remove your account from the Authenticator at any time by visiting mfa.chi.ac.uk

clicking on the University of Chichester registration within the App, click on the cog in the top right-hand corner, and select ‘Remove Account’ You can then uninstall the App from your device if you wish.

If this is your only MFA method, we recommend that you re-enrol using an alternative method, or by following the instructions again in this help guide.