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Microsoft Authenticator App Gets Autofill for Address and Payment Info
The Microsoft Authenticator app for consumers can now automatically fill out address and payment information in Web site forms when using Android mobile devices, on top of filling out password fields.
The address and payment autofill capabilities are now at the "general availability" stage for Android devices, Microsoft announced on Monday, meaning it's commercially released. Also at the general availability stage is the ability of the Microsoft Authenticator app to fill out the password fields for iOS mobile devices.
The new address and payment autofill capabilities just apply to consumer users of the Microsoft Authenticator app for personal use via a Microsoft account. They don't apply to users of the Microsoft Authenticator app tied to work or school accounts via Azure Active Directory.
Here's how that notion was expressed in the announcement:
Autofill syncs data using your personal Microsoft Account. It does not sync data with your work or school account (i.e., Azure Active Directory account).
The Microsoft Authenticator app for iOS devices will just fill out the password field automatically. By design, it does not fill out the address and payment information fields. Users can copy and paste that info, though, per the announcement:
iOS platform limits all third-party autofill providers or password managers to automatically fill only passwords and no other data types. This limits Microsoft Authenticator's (and every other third-party autofill provider's) ability to provide the above Android experience on iOS. Thus, you can only sync addresses on iOS with Authenticator. You can copy your synced addresses from Authenticator to apps and sites you visit on iOS devices.
The Microsoft Authenticator app synchronizes information using the Microsoft Edge browser. Alternatively, Google Chrome browser users can get Microsoft Authenticator app synchronization via a browser extension, which is called the "Microsoft Autofill Extension for Google Chrome."
Individuals need to specify in the Microsoft Authenticator app that they want to synchronize data, like passwords. It's also possible to designate the Microsoft Authenticator app as "the default autofill provider." Those details are explained in this Microsoft support document.
Microsoft commercially released password management capabilities in the Microsoft Authenticator app back in February. It's possible for consumer Microsoft Authenticator app users to dispense with passwords, too, which Microsoft announced in September.
About the Author
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.