Set up MFA with the Okta Verify app, or SMS authentication.
How to set up MFA
What are the MFA set up options?
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| The preferred, simplest and easiest way to authenticate your identity (push a button rather than enter a code) | Confirm your identity by entering in a code sent to you via SMS |
| Available on Google Play and Apple iOS app stores for compatible smartphones with an up-to-date version. | Available for users without compatible smartphones, or for Android users without access to the Google Play app store (such as in China) |
| Requires internet access for ongoing use | Requires active phone reception for ongoing use |
You can set up one or both methods on a single device, or set up the alternative method on a second, backup device.
First time set up guides
Set up MFA with Okta Verify app
- Open a browser on your computer and go to login.uts.edu.au
- Enter your full email address and click the ‘Remember me’ checkbox. Your full email address usually includes your first name and last name, and may include an additional initial or number e.g. jane.citizen@student.uts.edu.au, jane.g.citizen@student.uts.edu.au, jane.citizen-1@student.uts.edu.au.
- Next, enter your UTS student password.
- Click on ‘Set up' under Okta Verify.
- Select your device type and download the Okta Verify app from either Apple App Store or Google Play onto your primary mobile device.
- Launch the Okta Verify app on your mobile device, click on ‘Add Account’
- Choose ‘Organization’ as the account type.
- Click on ‘Scan a QR Code’ and scan the QR code on your computer screen (centre QR code within the frame).
- A green tick will display beside Okta Verify on your computer screen when set up is finished.
- Your browser will refresh and the application dashboard will then show on computer monitor.
Once you’ve set up your MFA, you will receive a confirmation email from ‘UTS Identity Team’ (from noreply@okta.com) to your UTS student email account.
Set up MFA with SMS authentication
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Open a browser on your computer and go to login.uts.edu.au
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Enter your full email address and click the ‘Remember me’ checkbox. Your full email address usually includes your first name and last name, and may include an additional initial or number e.g. jane.citizen@student.uts.edu.au, jane.g.citizen@student.uts.edu.au, jane.citizen-1@student.uts.edu.au.
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Next, enter your UTS student email password.
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Under SMS authentication click on ‘Set up’.
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From the dropdown box select the relevant country for your mobile phone.
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Enter your mobile phone number, and press ‘Send Code’.
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On your mobile phone you will then receive a text message saying
‘Hi this is your SMS MFA Codes for UTS Okta. Your verification code is ------’.
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On your desktop browser enter the 6 digit code from your text message in the ‘Enter Code’ section.
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Press the blue ‘Sign in’ button then your application dashboard will then show.
Once you’ve set up your SMS Authentication, you will receive a confirmation email from ‘UTS Identity Team’(noreply@okta.com) to your UTS student email account.
Set up Okta Verify app using mobile phone only
1. Go to login.uts.edu.au
2. Enter your full UTS email address. Your full email address usually includes your first name and last name, and may include an additional initial or number e.g. jane.citizen@student.uts.edu.au, jane.g.citizen@student.uts.edu.au, jane.citizen-1@student.uts.edu.au.
3. Next, enter your UTS student email password.
4. Under Okta Verify click on ‘Set up’.
5. Select your device type (iPhone or Android) and download the app and launch it
6. You will see a QR code screen, the Okta Verify app will either recognise that you are already on a phone or you may need to select 'Can't scan?'
7. From the dropdown select 'Send activation link via SMS', enter your phone number and press 'Send'
8. From the SMS you receive, click on the link and the Okta app should launch
9. You will then receive a confirming 'Account Added' screen and you are done
Once you’ve set up your MFA, you will receive a confirmation email from ‘UTS Identity Team’(noreply@okta.com) to your UTS student email account.
I don't have a mobile phone
If you are unable to set up via the Okta Verify app or SMS Authentication, please contact the IT Support on +61 2 9514 2222, or visit the Student Enquiry Team in CB10.02. Details about IT Support are at the end of this page.
'MFA Factor Enrolled' notification
What to expect when setting up
After setting up a new device or using a new browser you should expect to receive an email from the UTS Identity Team (login-noreply@uts.edu.au) which will show as an external email address. There is a sample of the text in the box below. These emails are not spam, but rather serve as another validation tool for you to keep your account secure.
- If it was you who just signed or set up a new device then no action needs to be taken.
- If it didn't just log in then select the green 'Report Suspicious Activity' button to notify the UTS IT Security team.
It's important to act on these emails as it serves to notify you that potentially someone that shouldn’t be is trying to access your account.
Note: Your location for this email is based on the information provided by your internet provider - not Okta.
MFA Factor Enrolled
Hi [Your Name],
A multi-factor authenticator has been enrolled for your account [your name email address]@student.uts.edu.au.
Details
Okta Verfiy
[Today's date]
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Performed by: [Your Name]
Don't recognize this activity?
Your account may have been compromised; we recommend reporting the suspicious activity to your organization.
Report Suspicious Activity
The security of your account is very important to us and we want to ensure that you are updated when important actions are taken.
New phone and resetting MFA
Set up a new phone (replacing or upgrading your phone)
An authentication method (app or SMS) can only be used on one phone at a time.
Note: To complete the steps below you may need to have your old phone with you to verify your identify. If you no longer have your old phone please call IT Support (details at the end of the page)
If you wish to transfer your authorization from one device to another follow these steps:
- While logged into login.uts.edu.au, go to dropdown arrow next to your name in the top right hand corner
- Select 'Settings'
- If the green 'Edit profile button' is showing follow the verification steps.
- If not, proceed to under 'Extra Verification' select 'Remove' for each either app or SMS (or both)
- Confirm this in the pop-up window
- Then go back up to the dropdown arrow next to your name in the top right hand corner and 'Sign out'
- Now when try to login to login.uts.edu.au you will go through the setup process with your new phone
See the instructions above for first-time setup, otherwise if have any issues get in contact with IT Support (details at end of this page)
Temporary access while replacing a lost phone
We understand it might take you a few days or weeks to replace a lost or broken phone. Generally your other devices (eg. laptop) will remain authorized for 30 days from your last authentication, which may be long enough for you to acquire and set up your new device.
However, if your verification window closes before you have your new device set up and authenticated, you can request temporary access to your accounts from the IT Support.
Please contact the IT Support (details at the end of this page) to set up temporary access.
Managing multiple accounts
Options for accessing your accounts if you are both a staff and a student
At present, you can only be logged in to one account at a time per laptop or desktop browser session. This means that in-browser, the four options to access and switch between your accounts are:
- Sign out and sign in to a different account via login.uts.edu.au
- Log in to your second account with a second browser (eg. Firefox, Edge, Chrome)
- Use "Profiles" in Chrome or the "Containers" extension in Firefox [opens external site] for continuous access
- Use 'Incognito' or 'Private' windows in your browser for temporary access
For mobile apps (eg. Outlook, Teams), you should be able to add multiple accounts using the regular process, and switch between them in-app. There have been isolated reports of users having difficulty achieving this with Microsoft products - if this is the case, a successful solution has been to uninstall and re-install the app on your phone.
In future, UTS is working towards integrating staff and student accounts held by the same person, to allow for easy transition between them.
Signing in and out of the Okta dashboard
- In the top right hand corner of the Okta dashboard (available at login.uts.edu.au) select the dropdown next to your name
- Then select 'Sign out'
- After you are signed out of one account you can log back in with your other account email address and password
Using an 'Incognito' or 'Private' window in your browser
- From the top right hand corner of your prefered browser open two windows that are 'Private' (Firefox) or 'Incognito' (Chrome)
- In one window log into your student account via login.uts.edu.au
- And in the other window log into your staff account via login.uts.edu.au
