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Microsoft Entra ID Introduces Third-Party SMS MFA Options Ahead of Service Retirement

First seen 26 Oct 2026, 09:12 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster •October 26, 2026 at 10:11 UTC
  • •Microsoft Entra ID will allow third-party SMS and voice MFA starting October 30, 2026.
  • •The change is in preparation for the retirement of Microsoft's own telephony service in February 2027.
  • •Organizations relying on SMS or voice authentication must transition to avoid registration prompts.

Microsoft Entra ID is set to allow organizations to select third-party providers for SMS and voice authentication starting October 30, 2026. This change comes as Microsoft prepares to retire its own telephony-based multi-factor authentication (MFA) service for most users by February 1, 2027. Organizations that rely solely on SMS or voice authentication will face a prompt to register a passkey if they do not transition to a third-party provider. Global Administrators and external users have until July 1, 2027, to adapt to these changes. The move aims to enhance flexibility and security for users as Microsoft phases out its legacy telephony service.

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Timeline

2026-10-30
Third-party SMS MFA options available
Microsoft Entra ID will enable organizations to select third-party providers for SMS and voice authentication.
Feeds.4Sysops
2027-02-01
Retirement of Microsoft telephony MFA service
Microsoft will retire its own telephony-based MFA service for most users, prompting the need for third-party solutions.
Feeds.4Sysops

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Common questions

What is the deadline for transitioning to third-party MFA?
Organizations must transition to third-party SMS and voice authentication by February 1, 2027.
What happens if we don't transition?
If organizations do not transition, users relying solely on SMS or voice will face prompts to register a passkey.
When will the third-party options be available?
Third-party SMS and voice MFA options will be available starting October 30, 2026.