MFA Security Issues

How to Disable or Remove MFA for a User in Microsoft 365

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

An administrator needs to disable or remove multi-factor authentication (MFA) for a specific user but continues to see MFA prompts due to overlapping security policies.

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Disabling MFA for a user account to stop authentication prompts during login.
Observed behavior: The user continues to receive MFA prompts even after the administrator attempts to disable it, likely because MFA is enforced through multiple overlapping Microsoft 365 security settings.

Before you start

Before proceeding, ensure you have Global Administrator or Authentication Administrator privileges in Microsoft 365. Disabling MFA significantly reduces account security, so verify your organization's compliance requirements before making changes.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Per-User MFA in Microsoft 365 Admin Center

This is the primary method to turn off legacy Multi-Factor Authentication for individual users directly from the admin console.

If your organization uses per-user MFA instead of Conditional Access, you can manage the MFA status for individual accounts directly from the Active Users list.

Access Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Navigate to Active Users

On the left navigation menu, go to 'Users' and select 'Active users'.

Open MFA Management

Click on 'Multi-factor authentication' at the top of the Active users page to open the MFA portal.

Select and Disable MFA

Locate the specific user experiencing the issue, check the box next to their name, and click 'Disable' under the quick steps on the right side.

Solution 2

Review and Exclude from Conditional Access Policies

If per-user MFA is disabled but prompts still appear, Conditional Access policies in Microsoft Entra ID might be enforcing the authentication.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a user still getting MFA prompts after I disabled per-user MFA?

MFA can be enforced in multiple ways within Microsoft 365. Even if per-user MFA is disabled, the user might be targeted by a Conditional Access policy in Microsoft Entra ID or your tenant might have global Security Defaults enabled that mandate MFA for all accounts.

How do I turn off Security Defaults in Microsoft 365?

To turn off Security Defaults, go to the Microsoft Entra admin center, navigate to Identity > Overview > Properties. Click on 'Manage security defaults' at the bottom of the page, and set the toggle to Disabled. Note that this is not recommended for general security.

Can I disable MFA for a user on a specific device only?

Yes, but this requires Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access. You can create a policy that requires MFA generally, but excludes specific trusted IP addresses or compliant devices, rather than disabling MFA for the user entirely.

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