Is MFA Required for New Microsoft 365 Business Accounts?
Question details
The user wants to understand if multifactor authentication is mandatory for newly created Microsoft 365 business tenants and whether a paid license is required to protect accounts with MFA.
- Product
- Microsoft 365 Business
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Setting up or administrating a new Microsoft 365 business tenant and configuring user security.
- Observed behavior
- Determining the default MFA enforcement status and licensing prerequisites for newly created business accounts, administrators, and guest users.
Ensure you have Global Administrator privileges to your Microsoft 365 tenant, as you will need elevated permissions to view or modify your organization's security defaults and MFA enforcement settings.
Understand Microsoft 365 Security Defaults
Microsoft enforces basic MFA protection automatically for new tenants via Security Defaults, which covers all users regardless of their licensing status.
Microsoft does not universally force mandatory two-factor authentication for every custom configuration. However, to provide immediate baseline security, 'Security Defaults' are enabled automatically for all tenants created on or after October 22, 2019.
This feature protects the organization by requiring MFA for all users during sign-in, without the need for complex conditional access policies.
Determine when your Microsoft 365 tenant was created. If your organization's environment was provisioned on or after October 22, 2019, security defaults (and thus MFA) are turned on automatically.
Confirm your user list. You do not need to assign a paid Microsoft 365 license to guest users, external collaborators, or specific administrator accounts to protect them. Security Defaults will prompt unlicensed users to register for MFA automatically.
Check or Manage MFA Settings in Microsoft Entra
Administrators can manually review the status of Security Defaults to see if MFA is currently being enforced across the tenant.
Looking for a Secure, Lightweight Office Alternative?
While you manage your Microsoft 365 tenant security, consider WPS Office as a powerful, cost-effective alternative for your organization's daily document processing needs. It delivers robust functionality without complex administration overhead.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your preferred operating system.
- 2. Install the Software: Run the installer and follow the straightforward on-screen instructions to set up the software on your device.
- 3. Open Office Files: Launch WPS Office and open your existing .docx, .xlsx, or .pptx files immediately with perfect formatting compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Azure AD Premium license to use MFA in Microsoft 365?
No, baseline multifactor authentication is available for free to all Microsoft 365 users through the Security Defaults feature. You do not need to purchase an Azure AD Premium license unless you require advanced Conditional Access policies.
Can I disable Security Defaults and MFA for my Microsoft 365 tenant?
Yes, Global Administrators can disable Security Defaults from the Microsoft Entra admin center properties page. However, Microsoft highly recommends keeping it enabled unless you are replacing it with stricter Conditional Access policies.
Are guest users required to use MFA in Microsoft 365?
Yes, if Security Defaults are enabled on your tenant, all users, including guest accounts and external collaborators, will be prompted to register for and use multifactor authentication when accessing your organization's resources.
