When you sign in to Microsoft 365 for the first time, you are prompted for two pieces of information :

• Your mobile phone number (to send you a code via sms), and
• Your secondary / private email address (to send you a code via email).

Why are you asked for this information?

Both of these pieces of information are needed when using the Microsoft 365 password change service. Indeed, you must have a means that allows you to confirm that you are the origin of the change request.

When is this information requested?

This information is requested from you:

• When you connect for the first time to Microsoft 365 environment of the ULB (and as long as you not provided them, and then
• Every 180 days (to keep this information up to date)

Be sure to provide a mobile phone number on which you can receive or read an SMS.
 

When and how must you change this information?

As soon as a change occurs in one of these two pieces of information (mobile number or secondary / private email address).

To do so, log in to  https://portal.office.com, and once logged, go to your profile (top right of the screen). Click on "Afficher mon compte / View my acount". In the "Information de sécurité / Security info" section, complete the data (mobile number, private email address... You can also add others methods).

What happens if I forget to update this information?

Let's say you've changed your mobile number but forgot to update your profile. When you reach the 180-days deadline, the Microsoft 365 sign-in procedure prompts you to update the two required information. To do this, the procedure sends a code to your mobile... But this code is send to a mobile number which is no longer valid !

• If you have provided both information (mobile number and email address), you can choose another method of sending the code (and the code will therefore be sent by email and not by sms).

• If the above method does not work, please contact support@ulb.be (3737 or +32 2 650 37 37) so that our team can help you update your data.

So if Microsoft 365 is texting me, is two-factors authentification enabled for my profile?

Not necessarily.

The renewal of your personal data is a procedure which requires verifying that you are indeed at the origin of the action. The use of a code (sent by sms or my email) is necessary to validate that it is indeed you. Once you have been able to validate your data, you access Microsoft 365 exaclty as you did previously, with or without two-factors authentification.