Is multi-factor auth required for self-service password reset and portal registration?

Question

Hi, hoping someone can give some clarity on this.  I'm dealing with strictly online accounts, no AD sync to local servers.  I have enabled and configured self-service password reset in AzureAD.  In that config I have required users to register
their alt contact info when logging into the portal.  While testing this, I don't get prompted to register unless I've enabled multi-factor auth for the test user account.  I need users to register in case they need to use SSPR, but I don't want
to force them into MFA.  I've gone over the following article and it says nothing about requiring MFA for SSPR or forced portal registration to work.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/azure/dn683881.aspx
I know there is a separate link for the registration portal that will guide users through the process, but that's a separate link.  Maybe they'll set it up, maybe they won't.  I'd like for the first sign-on to be a smooth process that gets them
set up for SSPR if needed.  Can someone clarify and point me in the right direction? Thanks.

Answer 1

Hey acook15,
I work on the password reset engineering team.  Right now, you are correct, you cannot enforce registration for password reset during first sign in.  This is a feature that we are working on right now, which will be available very soon for sign
ins to Azure, your connected apps, and the access panel, and will come a bit later for Office 365 sign ins, as well.
In the interim, you can configure SSPR to require users to register when they access the access panel at myapps.microsoft.com by following the instructions here: http://aka.ms/customizesspr (search for "Require users to register when signing in to the
access panel?").  
You can also read more about other ways to get SSPR data in the system for your users here: http://aka.ms/ssprbestpractices.  Let me know if this helps, and if you need to get in contact with me, feel free to email me at [email protected] 
Regards,
Adam.
Adam Steenwyk | Senior Program Manager | [email protected]