Enable App Password

Cesar Cantu 0 Reputation points
2026-02-16T17:35:41.9866667+00:00

How do you enable App Password for a user or security group?

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Entra | Microsoft Entra ID

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  1. SHAMBHU SHARMA 26 Reputation points
    2026-09-08T18:32:33.6033333+00:00

    Create new app passwords for a Microsoft work/school account

    If you use two-step verification with your work or school account and your administrator has turned on the security info experience, you can create and delete your app passwords using the Security info page.

    1. Sign in to your work or school My Account page at myaccount.microsoft.com
    2. Select Security info from the left navigation pane or from the link in the Security info block, and then select Add method from the Security info page.
    3. On the Add a method page, select App password from the list, and then select Add.
    4. Type the name of the app that requires the app password, and then select Next.
    5. Copy the text from the Password box, paste the password in the password area of the app (in this example, Outlook 2010), and then select Done. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/work-school/create-app-passwords-for-your-work-or-school-account

    If creating a new app password is not supported or you cannot see App Password in Add a Method, then follow the steps:

    App passwords can’t be enabled directly for a specific user or security group. They are a tenant‑wide setting and become available only after MFA is enforced for the user.

    How it works:

    1. Ensure “Allow users to create app passwords” is enabled at the tenant level.
    2. Enforce MFA for the user (per‑user MFA or via Conditional Access).
    3. Once MFA is enforced, the user can create an app password from Security info. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/howto-mfa-app-passwords

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  2. VEMULA SRISAI 13,900 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-02-16T18:54:49.3066667+00:00

    Hello Cesar Cantu,

    App passwords can’t be enabled directly for a specific user or security group. They are a tenant‑wide setting and become available only after MFA is enforced for the user.

    How it works:

    1. Ensure “Allow users to create app passwords” is enabled at the tenant level.
    2. Enforce MFA for the user (per‑user MFA or via Conditional Access).
    3. Once MFA is enforced, the user can create an app password from Security info.

    Note: App passwords are a legacy feature and are recommended only for older apps that don’t support modern authentication.

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/authentication/howto-mfa-app-passwords

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    1 person found this answer helpful.

  3. AI answer

    2026-02-16T17:35:48.8433333+00:00

    To enable App Passwords for users or security groups in Microsoft Entra, an administrator must complete the following steps:

    1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Policy Administrator.
    2. Navigate to Conditional Access > Named locations.
    3. Select "Configure MFA trusted IPs" in the bar across the top of the Conditional Access | Named Locations window.
    4. On the Multifactor authentication page, select the Allow users to create app passwords to sign in to non-browser apps option.

    Once this is enabled, users will be required to create an app password as part of Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication registration. If the ability to create app passwords is disabled later, existing app passwords will continue to work, but users won't be able to manage or delete them.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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