Fix App Password Missing from Microsoft 365 Security Info
Question details
Users cannot find or select the App password option in their Microsoft 365 Security Info page, even though app passwords are enabled at the organization level.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user is attempting to generate an app password to set up an email client or device that relies on legacy authentication.
- Observed behavior
- The App password option is completely missing from the Add method dropdown menu in the Microsoft 365 Security Info portal.
Ensure you have Microsoft 365 global administrator or authentication administrator privileges, and verify that app passwords are globally permitted in your tenant's multi-factor authentication settings.
Enforce MFA via the Legacy Multifactor Verification Page
Setting the user's MFA status to 'Enforced' from the legacy portal often triggers the system to display the app password option.
Microsoft 365 occasionally requires users to be fully enforced in the legacy MFA portal before it exposes legacy features like app passwords in the modern Security Info page.
Sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center, navigate to Users > Active users, and click on 'Multi-factor authentication' at the top to open the legacy portal.
Select the affected user from the list, click 'Enable' if not already enabled, and then click 'Enforce' under the quick steps on the right panel.
Sign in to Microsoft 365 as the affected user in a private browser window and follow the prompts to complete the multi-factor authentication registration.
Navigate to the Security Info page (mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info), click 'Add method', and check if the 'App password' option is now available.
Reset User MFA Settings and Re-enable
Use this solution if enforcing MFA does not resolve the issue. Resetting the user's MFA state forces the system to clear stuck configurations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the app password option suddenly missing in Microsoft 365?
It usually disappears because the user's MFA status isn't set to 'Enforced' in the legacy portal, or because your organization has updated its Conditional Access policies to block legacy authentication.
Can I use modern authentication instead of app passwords?
Yes, Microsoft strongly recommends using modern authentication (OAuth 2.0) instead of app passwords, as modern auth provides significantly better security and supports conditional access policies natively.
How long does it take for MFA setting changes to take effect?
Changes made to MFA settings, such as clearing user settings or re-enabling MFA, can take up to 10 to 15 minutes to fully sync across Microsoft Entra ID and Microsoft 365 services.
