The Microsoft Authenticator app has received a fresh update, which brings with it the important addition of Google and Facebook support. This means users can now add a Google or Facebook account to the application and protect those accounts with two-factor authentication.
At the moment the update is only running for Windows Insiders, so you will need to be a member of the Windows Insider Program to test it. As always with the Insider, the final release of this update that comes to the Windows Store for end users could be different.
Microsoft Authenticator is an application that is exclusive to the Windows 10 Mobile platform. It provides “The first step towards a world without passwords! After a quick Bluetooth sync, use this app to unlock your Windows 10 computer at work. Just open the app and tap on a nearby computer.”
The app was first spotted back in January as an internal tester, before finally becoming available to Windows 10 Mobile Insiders on the Fast Ring earlier in the month. Microsoft is still working on a feature to add Bluetooth support, allowing Authenticator to unlock PCs from a Windows 10 Mobile device.
“Those rocking the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL flagships will be able to use Windows Hello with the Authenticator. Connecting to a Microsoft Account lets the app generate a code that can be used to log into services within the device.”
If you are not on the Inside but are interested in Authenticator, you will be able to get to grips with the app when it launches fully. That should not be too far away as it is almost certainly part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update that is landing this summer.
