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Microsoft ended support for its Apple Watch companion app in January 2023. The change affected the watchOS app—not Microsoft Authenticator on iPhone or iPad, which remains available for Microsoft sign-ins and verification codes. An Apple Watch may still mirror an iPhone notification, but that does not restore the old watch-based approval flow.
What changed—and what did not
Microsoft discontinued the native watchOS companion app. It had let users respond to supported Microsoft Authenticator push notifications from their wrist. Microsoft’s current Authenticator FAQ says Apple Watch and Android wearable devices are incompatible with the app’s security features.
The iPhone and iPad app was not discontinued. Microsoft continues to offer Authenticator for personal, work, and school accounts, with features that can include push approvals, passwordless sign-in, and time-based one-time passcodes (TOTP), subject to the account and organization’s setup. See Microsoft’s feature overview and download page.
| Capability | Status |
|---|---|
| Install Microsoft Authenticator as a native Apple Watch app | Not supported |
| Complete approvals through the discontinued watch app | No longer supported |
| Receive iPhone notifications mirrored to Apple Watch | May be available through notification settings; it is not the old watch app |
| Generate Microsoft Authenticator TOTP codes on Apple Watch | Not supported by Microsoft’s watch app |
| Use Microsoft Authenticator on iPhone or iPad | Supported, subject to current app and device requirements |
When did Apple Watch support end?
- December 13, 2022: Microsoft’s planned change was reported.
- January 2023: Microsoft said an iOS release would no longer include a watchOS companion app.
- February 6, 2023: Reporting confirmed that an App Store update removed the Apple Watch app.
The original announcement and removal were covered by MacRumors in December 2022 and in February 2023. So “in January” refers to January 2023, not a future January.
#1 Best Overall
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/416RQ0rtsUL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
Why did Microsoft discontinue the watch app?
Microsoft’s stated reason was that watchOS was “incompatible with Authenticator security features.” It did not publicly identify every feature behind that decision. Microsoft’s Entra documentation on number matching says Apple Watch is not supported for the newer Authenticator security model and directs users to use Authenticator on another device.
Number matching and stronger protections against fraudulent approval prompts are relevant context, but Microsoft’s public explanation does not establish number matching as the sole cause of the discontinuation.
Rank #2
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Rose Gold Aluminum Case with Light Blush Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31caPPnRysL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
What should affected users do?
For Microsoft sign-in approvals
- Keep Microsoft Authenticator installed on your iPhone and update it through the App Store.
- When a sign-in request arrives, open Authenticator on the iPhone and complete the approval or number match shown there.
- If useful, enable notification mirroring in Apple Watch settings so the watch can alert you to an incoming request.
- Complete the authentication in the supported phone app. Do not assume that tapping a mirrored alert on the watch completes the secure approval.
Microsoft says it no longer supports Authenticator versions more than one year old; check its download page for current app requirements rather than relying on an old version number.
For six-digit TOTP codes
A third-party authenticator may be able to store and display a compatible account’s TOTP codes, but moving those codes does not transfer Microsoft’s push-approval registration. Migrate each service separately:
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
![Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Starlight Aluminum Case with Starlight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31YiTby0pOL._SL160_.jpg)
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
- Sign in to the service and open its security or two-step verification settings.
- Choose the option to change or add an authenticator app.
- Scan the new QR code with the replacement app, or enter the setup key manually.
- Verify the new app’s generated code and save the service’s recovery codes.
- Remove the old entry only after confirming that the replacement works.
Do not delete the existing Authenticator setup before you have transferred and tested every account. A TOTP app is not automatically a substitute for Microsoft Entra push authentication.
If you are locked out of a work or school account
Available recovery methods depend on your organization’s policies. Try another registered method if one is available, or contact your IT help desk about a temporary access pass, an MFA registration reset, or registering a replacement phone or security key. Entra policies, conditional access, and device requirements can limit which methods work; a consumer authenticator app is not guaranteed to be accepted.
Rank #4
![Apple Watch SE 3 [GPS 40mm] Smartwatch with Midnight Aluminum Case with Midnight Sport Band - S/M. Fitness and Sleep Trackers, Heart Rate Monitor, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31Gq8SToFJL._SL160_.jpg)
- GET SMARTER HEALTH INSIGHTS—Apple Watch SE 3 is an advanced health tracker that helps you better understand your body. The smartwatch sends alerts for an irregular heart rhythm, or an unusually high or low heart rate.* You can view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app,* track your sleep score, and get sleep apnea notifications.*
- A GREAT FITNESS TRACKER—SE 3 can track your workouts in a healthy number of ways—from running and strength training to simply achieving your 10K steps a day. With real-time metrics and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone,* you’ll hit your goals like never before.
- KEEP HELP CLOSE AT HAND—SE 3 is a smartwatch that can detect a hard fall or severe car crash and automatically help connect you to emergency services and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- WOMEN’S HEALTH INSIGHTS—SE 3 has advanced sensors that track your wrist temperature while you sleep. With this smartwatch, you can log your periods and symptoms, get period predictions, and get notified of cycle deviations.*
- GREAT BATTERY LIFE AND FASTER CHARGING—Enjoy a smartwatch with all-day, 18-hour battery life* from sunup to sundown. Then charge up to twice as fast as SE 2* and get up to 8 hours of battery in just 15 minutes.*
Which alternatives make sense?
Choose based on whether you need Microsoft push approvals, ordinary TOTP codes on a watch, or password management. A watch app that displays a six-digit code does not necessarily support Microsoft Entra push requests.
| Option | Best fit | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Authenticator on iPhone | Microsoft personal, work, or school accounts, especially when an organization requires Microsoft’s app | Does not restore native Apple Watch authentication |
| Authenticator App by 2Stable | Users seeking Apple Watch access to TOTP codes in an Apple-device ecosystem | Third-party TOTP tool, not a replacement for Microsoft push registration; check current watchOS requirements, price, and organization policy in the regional App Store |
| 1Password | Users who already want a password manager and want TOTP access on Apple Watch | Paid password manager, not a free standalone authenticator or guaranteed enterprise-approved replacement; see its system requirements and current pricing |
Historical coverage mentioned Authy as an Apple Watch alternative, but similarly named current App Store listings do not establish that an app is Twilio’s product or that it has the same support. Verify the publisher and current watchOS compatibility before choosing one. An App Store listing with a similar name alone is not proof of product lineage.
Best Value
![Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 42mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - S/M. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41s72HIk5TL._SL160_.jpg)
- A FULL-FEATURED HEALTH TRACKER—Apple Watch Series 11 gives you invaluable insights about your body, right from your wrist. Take an ECG anytime* and get alerts for a high and low heart rate or an irregular rhythm*—so you can stay closer to your heart. You can also view your overnight health tracking metrics with the Vitals app* and be notified of possible sleep apnea.*
- KNOW YOUR SLEEP SCORE—With advanced sleep tracking, Series 11 gives you a daily sleep score. It’s an easy way to help measure and understand the quality of your sleep, so you can make it more restorative.
- GET HYPERTENSION NOTIFICATIONS—Did you know that Series 11 can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure? By analyzing how your blood vessels respond to beats of the heart, it can notify you of possible hypertension.*
- SAFETY FEATURES—A smartwatch that puts your safety first. Series 11 can detect a hard fall or severe car crash, automatically help connect you with emergency services, and notify your emergency contacts.* Check In can automatically notify a loved one when you’ve arrived at your destination.
- A POWERFUL FITNESS TRACKER—With advanced metrics and motivating features like Pacer, Heart Rate Zones, training load, and Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence from your nearby iPhone*—Series 11 is made to help everyone stay active, from runners and hikers to strength-training enthusiasts.
For accounts that support them, passkeys or a hardware security key may be preferable to exposing TOTP codes on a wrist-worn device. For work and school accounts, ask IT which methods are approved.
Do not confuse this with Authenticator Autofill
Microsoft Authenticator’s Autofill feature was discontinued separately in mid-August 2025, according to Microsoft’s FAQ. That change is unrelated to the Apple Watch app’s January 2023 discontinuation.
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