This guide contains step-by-step instructions to set up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) for your Middlebury account.
MFA is used to confirm that you are, in fact, the actual account owner, while SSPR provides a way for you to reset your account password at your own convenience.
Instructions
Before you get started, please have both your
laptop/computer and
mobile phone accessible. If you do
not own a mobile phone, please join the
Helpdesk Zoom for assistance.
-
Go to go.middlebury.edu/webmail/.
-
Sign in using your full username@middlebury.edu email address and temporary password, provided with your account activation instructions.
-
If copy & pasting, take care to copy only the password, not including any surrounding spaces (i.e., the whitespace before and after the password).
-
At the More information required or Let's keep your account secure prompt, click Next to proceed.
-
Follow the on-screen prompts carefully to install and set up Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile phone. This app is the recommended method for MFA verification.
-
Add your Phone number as a second verification option. Text messages and phone call verification are both supported.
-
Once TWO methods are configured (e.g., Microsoft Authenticator and phone number), click Done to finish the MFA setup.
-
You should now be prompted to change your password from the temporary one provided. Refer to our Standards for Creating Strong Passwords for more information on password requirements.
-
You are now done setting up MFA and SSPR! You can edit your MFA methods yourself—including changing your password—at any time from go/mfasetup/, or reset a forgotten password at go/resetpassword/.
-
If you were not prompted to change your temporary password, you can now manually update it at go/changepassword/.
-
If you do not have two methods set up (e.g., you were unable to set up an authenticator app), see Add alternate MFA methods.
Please refer to our Password Policy for more information on creating strong passwords and keeping them secure. You can see more information about specific password resetting scenarios on our Accounts and Passwords page. If you would like assistance with this process, please contact the Helpdesk. During non-business hours, it may be helpful to see Microsoft's video (2.26 min) on how this setup process looks.
Add alternate MFA methods
For those unable to use Microsoft's Authenticator app, you will need to add an alternate method to be able to reset your own password if you forget it.
During initial account setup (outlined above), you can do this by selecting I want to set up a different method. Follow the on-screen prompts carefully to configure the alternate option.
If you have already set up your account but would like to add another MFA method, go to go.middlebury.edu/mfasetup/, then click + Add sign-in method and select one of the listed methods.
Tip: To add a different authenticator app, select Microsoft Authenticator then "I want to use a different authenticator app," and follow the on-screen prompts to add the alternate authenticator.
