Instructions to set up SMS

Instructions for setting up SMS sign-in method

Attention: This option is not enabled for new sign ups

This type of additional factor of authentication is not available to people adding it after the 19th August 2026.

Microsoft are withdrawing support for voice and SMS from February 2027. Anyone using these methods need to switch to alternatives before then.

A one-time password can be sent to a telephone number.

  1. In a web browser, login to the My Sign-ins website using your Edinburgh username in the format uun@ed.ac.uk and your login password.
  2. If you do not enter the account setup automatically, select +Add sign-in method > Phone > Add
  3. Provide the phone number to use.
  4. Select Text me a code, then Next
  5. Provide the 6 digit code sent to your device, then Next
  6. Activate your MFA.

Text-based MFA authentication method priority - WhatsApp and RCS

When Text / SMS is selected as a user's MFA method, Microsoft will initially attempt to send the tokens via WhatsApp or using RCS (Rich Communication Services) which use the recipient's mobile phone's data allowance / WiFi, and only fall back to sending an actual Text / SMS if those methods fail. 

There is no mechanism to disable this if the Text / SMS option is chosen, so, if you don’t wish tokens to go to WhatsApp / RCS, you should please not select Text / SMS as a mechanism for MFA authentication and rather choose a different option, such as an Authenticator app. 

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