Troubleshoot Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

Find answers to frequently asked questions about multi-factor authentication (MFA). Select a question to jump to its answer.

Or for solutions to common issues with your Blackbaud ID, see the Blackbaud ID FAQ.

Why Doesn't the Code from My Authenticator App Work?

When you sign in, you have five minutes to enter your confirmation code. If five minutes pass before you enter the code, sign in again with a new confirmation code from your mobile authenticator app.

If the new code doesn't work, select Can't access your authenticator app? to sign in with your recovery code. If you don't have your recovery code but have a recovery phone number, select Don't have your recovery code? to sign in with your recovery phone number and reset MFA. The recovery phone number is only an option if you receive confirmation codes through a mobile authenticator app.

Why Didn't I Receive a Code from a Text Message?

If you receive confirmation codes through text messages and don't get a six-digit code when you sign in, select Having trouble when prompted for your code and then select I didn't receive a confirmation code to request a new one.

If you don't receive a confirmation code after requesting a new one, check your device's cellular or Wi-Fi signal to make sure you can receive text messages.

Tip: Keep in mind that if you change your phone number, you won't receive confirmation codes. To sign in with your 24-digit recovery code, select Having trouble and I don't have access to my multi-factor authentication device.

For additional guidance, see our Knowledgebase article.

Why Doesn't My Code from a Text Message Work?

You have five minutes to enter a confirmation code when you sign in. If the code expires or doesn't work, select Need help? and then select My verification code isn't working to request a new one.

You can only request 10 confirmation codes within an hour of an attempted sign-in. If 10 codes expire, you can request another code every hour until you successfully sign in.

What Do I Do If I Can't Access My Device or Confirmation Codes?

If you can't access your personal device or confirmation codes, select Can't access your authenticator app? to sign in with your recovery code. You can only use the recovery code once, so save the new recovery code that you receive when you sign in.

If you don't have your recovery code but have a recovery phone number, select Don't have your recovery code? to sign in with your recovery phone number and reset MFA. This option is only available if you receive confirmation codes through a mobile authenticator app.

If you can't use either recovery method, contact Support.

What Do I Do If I Lost My Recovery Code?

To create a new recovery code:

  • If you can sign in, go to your Blackbaud profile. Select the button beside Multi-factor authentication, and select Manage, New recovery code. Then select Reset to reset your recovery code. Make sure to save the new recovery code in a secure location.

  • If you can't sign in but you have a recovery phone number, sign in with your recovery phone number and reset MFA. This option is only available if you receive confirmation codes through a mobile authenticator app.

    1. On the Blackbaud ID sign-in page, select Continue with Email.

    2. In the Email address field, enter your email address and select Continue.

    3. In the Password field, enter your password and select Sign in.

    4. On the MFA page that prompts you for a confirmation code, select the Can't access your authenticator app? link. A page to confirm your identity appears.

    5. Check your inbox for a confirmation email and copy the code.

    6. Return to the page that confirms your identity, and on the Confirm email tab, enter the 6-digit code and then select Next.

      Note: The code expires after 10 minutes, but if it expires, you can return to the sign-in page and start over to get a new one.

    7. On the Recovery code tab, select Don't have your recovery code?. A page to confirm your identity appears.

    8. Check your inbox for another confirmation email and copy the code.

    9. Return to the page that confirms your identity, and on the Confirm email tab, enter the 6-digit code and then select Next.

    10. Check your phone for a text with confirmation code.

    11. On the Confirm email tab, enter the confirmation code and select Next.

    12. On the third tab, select Set up MFA to reset MFA. A screen to set up MFA appears. Follow the steps to set up MFA again. After you finish, you can go to your profile to manage MFA settings as necessary.

      Warning: Make sure to save the new recovery code in a secure location so that you can access your account even if you can't receive confirmation codes.

  • If you can't sign in and don't have a recovery phone number, contact Support.

Why Is MFA Timing Out?

When MFA times out, get a new confirmation code and sign in again.

If timeouts continue to prevent access to your Blackbaud solutions, you might have a problem with your computer's clock. If you manually set the time on your computer, the discrepancy between the actual time and the time that you set might cause MFA to time out repeatedly. If you experience repeated timeouts, update your computer to set the time automatically and then sign in again with a new confirmation code.

Why Doesn't My Recovery Code Work?

You can only use your recovery code once. If you used your recovery code and didn't save the new one, you can create one. On your Blackbaud profile, select the edit button for Multi-factor authentication, and then select Manage, New recovery code.

If you can't access your profile but you have a recovery phone number, select Don't have your recovery code? to sign in with your recovery phone number and reset MFA, and save your new recovery code. This option is only available if you receive confirmation codes through a mobile authenticator app.

If you can't sign in to your profile and don't have a recovery phone number, contact Support.

Why Was MFA Turned On for Me?

If you use Blackbaud's authentication service to sign in to your Blackbaud ID with your email address and password, then Blackbaud requires multi-factor authentication (MFA) because it's the most effective measure to increase security. Your organization can also enforce MFA through single sign-on. In addition, confirmation codes may be required for security measures, such as reCaptcha or account validation after you create your Blackbaud ID.

What Do I Do If I Get an Error When Signing In on a Device that Remembers My MFA?

If an error occurs when you sign in on a device where you saved your MFA settings, try to sign in again. If the second attempt succeeds, you likely experienced a transient MFA error.

If the second attempt fails, the error is probably related to your device's MFA connection, and you need to reset MFA. Sign in to your Blackbaud ID account on a different device, and go to your Blackbaud profile. Select the edit button for Multi-factor authentication and then select Manage, Change setup. Follow the instructions to reset your connection, which will allow you to sign in again on the device where you saved your MFA settings.