How to fix 'Cannot use MFA service, please try again later.' with Azure B2C custom policies

Question

How to fix 'Cannot use MFA service, please try again later.' with Azure B2C custom policies

Hello,

I am experiencing an issue related to Azure AD B2C MFA with TOTP using an authenticator app. I have successfully created the custom policies and enabled MFA with TOTP without any problems. However, after enrolling a user by scanning the QR code, the application prompts me for an authorization code and then displays the following error: “Cannot use MFA service, please try again later.” It repeatedly asks for the verification code.

Interestingly, if I close the MFA window and log in again, the MFA enrollment appears to complete correctly, and I can successfully verify using the code from my mobile app. In summary, the problem occurs exclusively immediately after MFA is enabled; once the MFA window is closed and the user logs in again, the two-factor verification works properly.

For reference, I used the guidelines on this page for enabling MFA with custom policies: https://github.com/azure-ad-b2c/samples/tree/master/policies/totp

I appreciate any assistance in resolving this issue.

Best regards,
Nick

Answer 1

Hi @Nick
Thank you for Reaching out Microsoft Q&A Platform
I Understand that you are encountering an issue related to Azure AD B2C MFA with TOTP using an authenticator app. I you have successfully created the custom policies and enabled MFA with TOTP. However, after enrolling a user by scanning the QR code, the application prompts for an authorization code and then displays the following error: “Cannot use MFA service, please try again later.” It is repeatedly asking for the verification code.

Based on the error message, this issue may occur due to temporary problems with the MFA service. Check the Azure service status page to see if there are any ongoing outages or maintenance affecting the MFA service. Additionally, the error could be related to session persistence or caching. After registering, wait for 2 to 3 minutes, clear your browser cache and cookies, and then test the process again with a new user to see if the issue persists.
The following ID is used for a Microsoft Entra ID multifactor authentication technical profile error Message:

For additional information refer this document: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory-b2c/localization-string-ids#microsoft-entra-multifactor-authentication-error-messages

Do let us know if you any further queries.