How to Set Up Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

If multi-factor authentication (MFA) is required for your Newburyport Public Schools account, you will be prompted to set it up when you log in through Okta, our single sign-on (SSO) provider.

After you sign-in, you will see the following prompt:

If you prefer to use an authenticator app on your smartphone for MFA, you can choose from Okta Verify or Google Authenticator. You will need to install the app on your smartphone, scan the QR code Okta gives you using the app, and enter the code your app generates to complete setup. Okta will walk you through this process after you click "Setup".

If you don't have a smartphone, or don't want to use an app, click on "Setup" under SMS Authentication.

We strongly recommend using SMS Authentication if you're unfamiliar with multi-factor authentication or have never used it before.

Setting up SMS Authentication

After you click up "Setup" under SMS Authentication, on the next screen, enter your phone number:

After you enter your phone number, click "Send code".

You will receive a text message from Okta containing a code. Enter the code you received and click "Verify":

You will now see a green check mark next to SMS Authentication under "Enrolled factors". Click on "Finish" to complete the set up.

You will now be prompted to verify your Newburyport Public Schools account when you log into a new device. After that, you will only be prompted every 30 days.

Setting up Okta Verify

To complete this process, please sign into your Newburyport account on a computer or tablet, and not your smartphone. While you can setup Okta Verify using only your smartphone, you won't be able to scan the QR code provided to you, which makes setup more complicated.

This guide assumes you're using an iPhone, but the process for Android is similar.

After you click up "Setup" under Okta Verify, on the next screen, select your device type. Then click "Next". You will see a QR code on your screen, which we will come back to in a minute:

Now, take out your smartphone and go to the Apple App Store. Search for the app called "Okta Verify" and install it by clicking on "Get":

After the app installs, open it and click "Get Started", then click "Next", and then click "Add Account":

On the "Choose Account Type" page, click on "Organization":

On the next page, click "Skip":

On the "Do You Have Your QR Code?" page, click on "Yes, Ready to Scan":

On the next page, make sure you hit "OK" to give Okta Verify access to your smartphone camera.

Now, go back to the QR code you pulled up earlier on your computer or tablet, and scan it using the camera in the Okta Verify app on your smartphone:

After you scan the QR Code, you should now see Okta Verify under Enrolled Factors with a green check mark next to it. Click "Finish" at the bottom:

Back on your smartphone, the Okta Verify app will prompt you to Allow Push Notifications. Press "Allow" and then press "Allow" again:

After that, you will see Account Added in the Okta Verify app. Click "Done" at the bottom.

You will now be prompted to verify your Newburyport Public Schools account when you log into a new device via a push notification from Okta Verify. After that, you will only be prompted every 30 days.