Microsoft Is Ending SMS Codes: What Canberra Users Need to Do
Text-message codes are on the way out for Microsoft sign-ins. Which date applies to you, and five things to do before it does.
Which date applies to you
There are two timelines, and most of the confusion comes from mixing them up.
| If your account is | Then |
|---|---|
| Work or school (business Microsoft 365) | Passkeys switched on by default from 1 September 2026. Microsoft-provided SMS and call codes retire on 1 February 2027 (1 July 2027 for Global Admins and external users). |
| Personal (Outlook.com, Hotmail, Xbox) | SMS is being phased out with no published end date. Many accounts already cannot add a new phone number. |
Microsoft says business users will not simply be locked out on the date. Anyone whose only method is a text or call gets a passkey setup screen they cannot skip, and that is where people without a suitable device get stuck.
Five things to do now
1. Add a passkey
While your text codes still work, not after.
2. Add a second way in
A recovery email, or a passkey on a second device.
3. Keep your number
Do not remove your phone number until the new methods work. Many accounts cannot add one back.
4. Screen lock on
Passkeys need a PIN, face or fingerprint lock on the device.
Changing phones? Keep the old one until every account works on the new one. Passkeys in Microsoft Authenticator do not transfer.
Step-by-step guides
- What is a passkey? The full overview
- Microsoft passkey setup: personal vs work account
- Moving Microsoft Authenticator to a new phone
- Passkeys on iPhone, iPad and Mac
- Passkeys on Android and Google
- myGov passkeys and codes
- Locked out of Microsoft with no one to call
These guides are hosted on our Geeks Brisbane guide site and apply anywhere in Australia. Already locked out? Read how we help locked-out Canberra clients.
Common questions
For work and school accounts, Microsoft-provided SMS and voice codes retire on 1 February 2027, or 1 July 2027 for Global Administrators and external users. For personal accounts such as Outlook.com and Hotmail, Microsoft is phasing SMS out without a published date.
Not automatically. Work users whose only method is SMS get a passkey screen they cannot skip. You get stuck if you have no device that can hold a passkey and no other method, so add a second method now.
Yes. We set up passkeys, Authenticator and a recovery email remotely or at your home or office. Remote support is $125 per hour and on site is $205 per hour, with a one-hour minimum.
Book a Canberra technician
$205/hr on site, $125/hr remote, no call-out fee and no fix, no fee.
Book OnlineService scope: we diagnose hardware faults and handle batteries, software, data, networking and setup. Physical screen, keyboard, charging-port and hinge replacement we refer to a specialist. Pricing shown is our own published rate, current as at August 2026. Any parts are quoted separately for your approval.