Windows 10: What is the difference between Microsoft Authenticator and 2factor for windows 10 PC?

Windows store list Microsoft Authenicator and 2 Factor for window 10. What's the difference? 95% of all my tasks are on the windows PC. My impression is that Microsoft Authenicator is for smartphones or tablets? I need to install 2 factor security foe my windows PC. Note it looks like I will forced to update to windows 11 soon. So that will have to have the same security ability.Thanks for the help,Bob

:)

 

Microsoft Account authentication

After more research, I have found my answer. It looks like the issue was that Microsoft released a new Microsoft Authenticator app with the features first introduced in Microsoft Authenticator Beta. The new app received a prompt to approve access to my Microsoft
Account when signing on from a new PC, though I find it strange that the beta app wasn't directly upgraded to the new version of the app.

Microsoft now has three 2 step authentication apps available in the store for Windows 10 Mobile:

• Authenticator - original app from Windows Phone 8
• Microsoft Authenticator Beta - originally released to Windows 10 users when Windows 10 Mobile was only available on the Windows Insider program.
• Microsoft Authenticator - the official Windows 10 app no longer in beta

 

Windows Microsoft account authentication

I have a valid Microsoft account and a Windows 10 PC with Hello/PIN account login enabled. I also have the Microsoft Authenticator app installed on an iPhone and configured for the Microsoft account. Additionally, I have two step authentication configured
for the Microsoft account. With all of that said, I have become very exasperated while trying to unravel the various authentication paths (and their security implications) through this multi level login security scheme. I find the associated account security
documentation to be woefully inadequate. Thus, I would like to pose the following list of questions for starters.

1. Does Windows Hello/PIN amount to a two step verification login procedure for my Microsoft account?

2. Does approving a Microsoft Authenticator login attempt (without two step verification explicitly set up)

amount to a two step verification login procedure for my Microsoft account?

3. Does approving a Microsoft Authenticator login attempt (with two step verification explicitly set up)

amount to a two step verification login procedure for my Microsoft account?

4. If answers to both 2 and 3 are yes, then what does explicit set up of two step authentication do?

5. Does a coherent, comprehensive document explaining Microsoft account security configuration exist somewhere?

6. If the answer to 5 is yes, wherer is it?

Thanks in advance.

 

Migrate Microsoft Authenticator settings

Hi,

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.

I understand the inconvenience you are facing in Windows.

Two-step verification helps protect you by making it more difficult for someone else to sign in to your Microsoft account. It uses two different forms of identity: your password, and a contact method. Even if someone else finds your password, they'll be
stopped if they don't have access to your other devices or accounts.

For more information:

Refer: About two-step verification

We are sorry to say that this option is not available in Microsoft Authenticator. I would suggest you to leave a comment or feedback using the feedback app.

Your feedback is more important to us for improving the functionality and make the usage easy.

Give us feedback

Use the Windows Feedback app to tell us which features you love, which features you could do without, or when something could be better.

• 
  
  Go to Start
  ,
  enter the phrase
  Windows Feedback, then select
  Windows Feedback.
  

• 
  
  See if someone else has given similar feedback by entering the topic, such as
  Microsoft Authenticator.
  

• 
  
  If you find similar feedback, select it, add any details, then select
  Upvote.
  

• 
  
  If you don’t find any similar feedback, select
  Add new feedback, and choose a topic from
  Select a categoryand then
  Select a subcategory.
  

• 
  
  Enter your feedback (the more details the better!), add a screenshot if you can, and you're done.
  

Refer: Updates
and feedback

Hope it helps. Keep us posted to help you better