Choose Your Own Adventure, spring break 2024 edition:
- You’re stargazing on the Memorial Union pier on an unseasonably warm (fingers crossed!) late March evening in Madison. You take out your phone to use your constellations app. But you just popped a few glistening Rathskeller cheese curds—and your phone slides off your slippery fingers, tumbling into Lake Mendota…
- You’re lounging along the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, spring breaking like a rock star. You take out your phone to capture the golden sunset. But you just reapplied your SPF 100—and your phone slides off your slippery fingers, tumbling into the sea…
Whether you’re traveling or having a staycation for spring break, accidents happen. So just in case you drop your phone into the drink, near or far, here’s a refresher on how to activate Duo on a new phone:
- You’ll start by navigating to the UW–Madison Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Portal at MFA.wisc.edu. Log in with your NetID and password. Once there, click Manage MFA Preferences and Devices.
- You will be prompted for your NetID and password again, as well as MFA.If you are currently unable to log into MFA because you do not have another device set up or you do not have a saved list of backup codes, you will need to use a temporary passcode (see MFA-Duo – Request a Temporary Passcode) to continue. If you are still able to log into Duo with a device or backup passcode, you can use those instead. If you are unable to request a temporary passcode and have no other backup options, you will need to contact the DoIT Help Desk to request a bypass code.
Follow the rest of the steps by visiting the KnowledgeBase article: Reactivate Duo on a mobile device.
Don’t forget! Create backup passcodes
It’s always a good idea to go ahead and generate a list of backup passcodes for future use, in case you misplace your phone.
Remember: Backup passcodes should be stored offline in a secure but accessible location (such as a locked drawer or cabinet), and they expire after 4 months.