In July 2026, Microsoft announced that they will retire SMS (text messages) and voice calls as options for multifactor authentication (MFA), also known as two-step log in.
SMS and phone calls are more prone to security risks. Starting February 1, 2027, Microsoft will no longer offer SMS text messages and phone calls as MFA methods. A list of available MFA options for all UMass Amherst faculty, staff, and students can be found here.
To prepare for this vendor-driven transition, on Friday, August 14, 2026, UMass IT removed SMS and phone calls as available MFA options for new accounts. New account users will have other secure options such as the Microsoft Authenticator app or hardware security devices.
Campus members currently using SMS and phone calls as MFA will not yet be affected by this change. However, users are highly encouraged to transition to one of the other secure options prior to Microsoft’s retirement of SMS and phone call MFA options on February 1, 2027.
If you have any questions regarding these MFA changes, please contact the IT Service Desk: [email protected] or 413-545-9400 Option 1. More ways to get tech help.