Episode 433: Passkeys, Passwords, and the End of SMS MFA

Welcome to Episode 433 of the Microsoft Cloud IT Pro Podcast. In this episode, Ben and Scott discuss how Microsoft 365 authentication is moving from “make passwords safer with MFA” to “remove phishable authentication wherever possible.” The practical conversation for IT pros is no longer just whether MFA is enabled. It is which methods are allowed, which users are still on SMS or voice, how passkeys change the user experience, and how to balance security, accessibility, recovery, and support load.

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Show Notes

Passkeys were supposed to replace passwords, but they’re failing for the most predictable reason

Microsoft Entra authentication overview

Passkeys by default and retirement of Microsoft-provided SMS and voice authentication

Plan a phishing-resistant passwordless authentication deployment in Microsoft Entra ID

Run a registration campaign to set up a passkey or Microsoft Authenticator

Practical Protection: Understanding Entra ID and Passkeys

Important Change Coming for Entra ID Passkeys in November 2025

Microsoft to Stop Providing Telephony-Based Authentication Methods for MFA in February 2027

How to enable passkeys (FIDO2) in Microsoft Entra ID