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Switching Your MFA Method from Email to Authenticator App

If you use email for multi-factor authentication (MFA), an email outage can stop your verification code from arriving and lock you out of Konexus. To avoid this, add an authenticator app as your MFA method now, while your email still works. Once it is set up, you can sign in with a 6-digit code from your phone even if email is down.

This guide is for Administrators who sign in with a Konexus account. If your organization signs in through its own single sign-on (SSO) provider with MFA, your MFA method is managed by your IT help desk, not in Konexus (Using SSO with MFA).

Before you begin

You need three things, and about five minutes:

  • Access to your email right now. You must be able to sign in to Konexus to change your MFA method, so do this before an outage, not during one.
  • A smartphone with an authenticator app installed, such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.
  • A safe place for recovery codes, such as a password manager, screenshot or a printed copy kept in a secure location.
Switch from email to an authenticator app

Add the authenticator app first, confirm it works, then remove email if you no longer want it as an option.

  1. Sign in at apps.alertsense.com with your username, password and the code sent to your email.
  2. Click the account icon in the top-right corner of the web application.
  3. Expand Security Settings, then select Multi-Factor Authentication. This opens the MFA Management view.
  4. Add a new method and choose Authenticator App.
  5. Open your authenticator app on your phone and scan the QR code shown on screen.
  6. Enter the 6-digit code from the app and submit it.
  7. VERY IMPORTANT - Save the Recovery Codes you are given. Each code works only once and lets you sign in if you lose your phone. (MFA Recovery Codes)
  8. Optional: in MFA Management, remove Email as a method if you want to use only the authenticator app.
  9. Sign out and sign back in to confirm the authenticator code works.

Tip: On the verification screen you can select Trust this device for 30 days. A trusted device skips the code step for 30 days, which can help during a short outage. You still need your password. (Trusted Devices for MFA)

If email is already down and you can't sign in

You can't add an authenticator app until you are signed in, so use one of these options:

  1. Use a recovery code. On the Check your email screen, select Use a recovery code and enter one of your saved codes. Then follow the steps above to add the authenticator app.  This is why it's important to save those recovery codes you received when setting up Email MFA originally.
  2. Use a trusted device. If you marked this computer as trusted in the last 30 days, you will not be asked for an email code. Sign in and add the authenticator app.
  3. Contact Konexus Support. If you have no recovery codes and no trusted device, contact Support to verify your identity and restore access (see below).
Frequently asked questions

Can I keep email as a backup? Yes. You can keep both methods in MFA Management and switch between them at any time.

What if I lose my phone? Sign in with a recovery code, then remove the old authenticator and add your new phone in MFA Management.

I used most of my recovery codes. How do I get more? In MFA Management, click Regenerate next to Recovery Codes. This cancels any remaining codes and issues 10 new ones.

My organization uses single sign-on (SSO). Does this apply to me? If your SSO provider enforces MFA, contact your IT help desk to change methods. If it does not, Konexus uses email verification; contact Konexus Support about alternatives.

The authenticator code isn't accepted. Codes refresh every 30 seconds. Enter the current code, and check that your phone's date and time are set automatically.

Need help?

During an email outage, call rather than email so your request isn't delayed.