Microsoft Authenticator no longer stores or fills in your passwords. Microsoft removed the autofill feature in stages during summer 2025, and by mid August 2025 saved passwords, addresses and payment cards were gone from the app. Your passwords were not lost, though: they live in your Microsoft account and now show up in Microsoft Edge, from where you can keep using them or move them to another password manager.
What changed in Microsoft Authenticator, and when
Microsoft announced the change in spring 2025 and rolled it out over four months. Its support page lists this timeline:
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 2025 | In app notices warned users about the change |
| June 2025 | Adding or importing new passwords stopped |
| July 2025 | Autofill from Authenticator stopped working |
| Mid August 2025 | Saved passwords, addresses and payment info no longer accessible in the app |
The core Authenticator features were not touched. You can still approve Microsoft account sign ins with a tap, generate six digit codes for other services that use two factor authentication, and use passkeys for work or school accounts managed through Microsoft Entra.
What happened to your saved passwords
Authenticator was always syncing your passwords to your Microsoft account in the background, and that copy is still there. Here is how each type of data was handled:
- Passwords: kept in your Microsoft account and available in Edge on any device where you sign in.
- Addresses: also kept and available in Edge.
- Payment cards: deleted for security reasons. You have to enter them again in Edge or in your new manager.
- Generated password history: not kept.
How to move your passwords to Edge
Edge is the path Microsoft recommends, and it takes a few minutes:
- Install Microsoft Edge on your iPhone or Android phone.
- Open it and sign in with the same Microsoft account you used in Authenticator. Your passwords sync down automatically.
- On iPhone, open Settings, General, AutoFill and Passwords, and choose Edge under the autofill options. On Android, open Settings, search for the passwords and autofill section, and pick Edge as the autofill service.
- To check that everything arrived, open the Edge menu and go to Settings, then Passwords.
Edge also syncs the same passwords to Edge on Windows, macOS and Linux, so desktop logins keep working with no extra setup.
Moving to a different password manager
You do not have to stay with Microsoft. Many people use the change as a reason to move to the manager built into their phone or to a dedicated app that works across every browser.
- Pick the new manager, for example Apple Passwords on iPhone, Google Password Manager on Android, or a cross platform app such as 1Password, Bitwarden or Dashlane.
- In Edge on a computer, open Settings, Passwords, and use the export option to save a CSV file.
- Import that file in the new manager, then set the new app as the default autofill provider on your phone.
- Delete the CSV file right away. It contains every password in plain text.
Where passkeys stand now
Passkeys are the reason Microsoft gave for the shake up: it wants people to stop relying on passwords at all. The picture in October 2026 looks like this:
- Authenticator keeps supporting passkeys for work and school accounts in Microsoft Entra.
- Edge on Windows began saving and syncing passkeys through Microsoft Password Manager in Edge 142 in November 2025, for personal Microsoft accounts and protected by a separate PIN. Microsoft said support for other platforms would come later, so check the Passwords section of Edge settings on your devices.
- Your Microsoft account itself can use a passkey instead of a password, created through Windows Hello, your phone or a security key.
If you already rely on Apple Passwords or Google Password Manager, both save and sync passkeys across their own ecosystems, which can be simpler than splitting logins between several Microsoft tools.
FAQ
Did Microsoft delete my passwords?
No. Passwords and addresses stayed in your Microsoft account and appear in Edge once you sign in. Only saved payment cards and password generator history were removed.
Can I still use Microsoft Authenticator for two factor codes?
Yes. Push approvals, one time codes and work account passkeys all still work. Only password storage and autofill were retired.
Do I have to use Edge as my browser?
No. Edge just needs to be installed and signed in to act as the autofill provider. You can browse in another app, or export your passwords and switch to a different manager entirely.
Is it too late to recover passwords from Authenticator?
The app no longer shows them, but they remain in your Microsoft account. Sign in to Edge with that account to see and export them.
The verdict
Losing autofill in Authenticator sounded alarming, but the fix is simple: sign in to Edge and your passwords are back, or export them and move to the manager you prefer. Keep Authenticator for sign in approvals and codes, add your payment cards again, and use the switch as a good moment to start replacing passwords with passkeys.
Updated October 2026: covers the Authenticator autofill shutdown timeline, what happened to saved data, moving to Edge or another manager, and current passkey support.
Featured photo: Franck on Unsplash.
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