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Home > Help & Support > Knowledge Base > Security > 2FA Information > 2FA for Office 365 Tips
Background | General Compatibility | Overall Expectations | Desktop/Laptop | Mobile Devices/Smartphone | Related FAQs |

2FA for Office 365 Tips

Troubleshooting Update: 2FA for Office 365

If you are experiencing issues receiving email on your mobile device or Outlook desktop client following the addition of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to your Office 365 account, you can still access your email via https://outlook.office365.com/owa/gmu.edu.

This provides information on what to expect as you start using 2FA with Office 365.

Background

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for Office 365 provides additional security on ALL Office 365 applications, including email, calendar, OneDrive for Business, and more.

This allows for the storage of sensitive documents in both OneDrive for Business as well as shared file storage areas within other Office 365 applications such as Project Online and Microsoft Teams. 2FA is required to use those services and will be required for all Mason employees in spring 2020.

Unlike other applications that already use Mason’s 2FA, Office 365 is a service that has multiple points of entry including:

  • Desktop Applications
  • Web Applications
  • Mobile Applications
  • 3rd Party Applications

Each Office 365 point of entry may behave slightly differently based on user, operating system, hardware, and/or browser. As credentials are often saved for Office 365 applications, users may not notice an immediate change when 2FA is enabled. As such, there are not always definitive responses to how technology will behave. If you are not running a supported software version, upgrade before the 2FA launch, or risk being unable to access your Office 365 account.

General Compatibility

  • Fully Supported (will work with 2FA): Outlook on the Web (OWA), Outlook 2019 or higher (desktop), and Outlook mobile apps (Android or iOS)
  • Not Supported: Mac Mail (requires Mojave OS), iOS native mail app (requires iOS 11 or later)
  • Not Compatible: Everything else is not compatible including the Android native mail and IMAP-based clients

Overall Expectations

  • Frequency: You will only see 2FA when you are prompted to log in.
  • Requirements: Applications must support “modern authentication” – the web-based login used by Office 365 that provides a standard login experience regardless of application or type of device.
  • 2nd Factor Options: Only Duo Push and Passcode (e.g. via Duo Mobile, printed bypass code, or Yubikey) options are available for Office 365 applications. Voice Callback and SMS Text are not available for any Mason 2FA applications except the 2FA Account Management Application at https://2faaccount.gmu.edu. See List of 2FA Authentication Options.

Desktop/Laptop

ITS supports the Microsoft-based applications as these are guaranteed to work with the Microsoft modern authentication and 2FA. For additional information about application support with Duo and Office 365, visit Duo's Guide to Office 365 mail client behavior when using Basic and Modern Authentication with Duo.

  • If you use the Outlook Desktop Client (PC or Mac)
    • Office 2019 software is required
    • 2FA window will appear the next time you are prompted to enter your password, typically after changing your password
  • If you use Office 365/Outlook on the Web (via browser) at https://outlook.office365.com
    • Log out and log back in—this refreshes your session and guarantees the 2FA prompt is seen. It is a great way to test the process (see picture above).
    • If prompted and not on a shared machine, the team recommends that you use the "Stay Signed In" option. This reduces the number of login prompts.
  • If you use Other Email/Calendar Client Applications (NOT supported by ITS)
    • Apple Mail: Per Apple, OS X 10.14 (Mojave) and higher support the use of modern authentication. Apple Mail may work with 2FA and Office 365 if you run this OS.
    • Thunderbird/Other Clients: They do not work. These are not compatible with 2FA, as they do NOT support the modern authentication requirement.
  • Other Office 365 Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) on your desktop
    • If you have your OneDrive for Business account connected, you may be prompted to log in again and enter your 2FA information.
    • Do Not check the “Remember Me” checkbox—it does not work in this situation; however, Office 365 will keep you logged in automatically, as it leaves a token on your machine

Mobile Device/Smartphone

The Outlook mobile app, available through your device’s app store, will work with 2FA. For additional information about the mobile app and download instructions, see https://products.office.com/en-us/outlook-mobile-for-android-and-ios. Other Office 365 mobile applications (e.g., Teams, Word, OneDrive, etc.) will log in like the Outlook mobile app.

  • iPhone (iOS)
    • Native Mail App (email, calendar): iOS 11 or higher is supported. If you have issues with the native app on your iPhone, DELETE your Mason account from the phone and re-add it. This will refresh the authentication and ensure it is logging in properly. You will not lose any data.
    • Outlook Mobile App: supported
  • Android
    • Native Mail App: The native mail app on Android will not work; it does not support the modern authentication requirement.
    • Outlook Mobile App: supported
  • If you use Office 365/Outlook on the Web (via browser) at https://outlook.office365.com
    • Log out and log back in—this refreshes your session and guarantees the 2FA prompt is seen. It is a great way to test the process (see picture above).
    • The team recommends that you use the "Stay Signed In" option. This reduces the number of login prompts.

Related FAQs

Expand All    Collapse All

Why is 2FA necessary?
These changes are part of Mason’s continuing transition to improved policies and standards that follow national guidelines for online safety and security. 2FA is safer and lessens the risk of compromise.

Will this impact my generic/resource account?
Generic and resource accounts in Office 365 will not require 2FA.

What applications are supported for my email and calendar?
Microsoft applications are supported. See the Operating System for 2FA Chart.

What about Linux?
ITS supports Office 365 on Linux operating systems. You may always use Outlook on the Web at https://mail.gmu.edu.

Last modified: April 29, 2025

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Related Downloads

  • 2FA Office 365 Tip Sheet

Related Articles

  • List of 2FA Authentication Options
  • How to Enroll Additional 2FA Devices
  • 2FA Roadmap
  • How to Set Up Outlook Mobile Email and Calendar for Apple iOS
  • How to Set Up Outlook Mobile Email and Calendar for Android
  • How to Use Apple iOS Mail Client and Use 2FA (Not Supported)

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