Microsoft Entra External ID now gets Native Authentication for better sign-in experiences

Microsoft has just recently announced that Native Authentication has now arrived for Microsoft Entra External ID users.

The feature gives you more control over mobile app sign-in experiences. As a developer, you can choose between native authentication and browser-delegated methods, each with its own benefits and considerations. 

With native authentication, you can customize your app’s sign-in experience and make it seamless for users. On the other hand, browser-delegated authentication is simpler to set up and comes with managed branding options. But, it takes users to a browser for sign-in, then back to the app, which can be disruptive.

You can use our native authentication API or the MSAL SDK for Android and iOS to build apps with native authentication. Microsoft then recommends Microsoft’s Authentication Library (MSAL) for easier integration, but if your framework isn’t supported by MSAL, you can still use our authentication API.

Microsoft Entra External ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) External Identities, is a cloud-based platform designed to manage the identities and access of external users for your organization. 

For developers making apps for consumers, External ID allows users to use their existing digital identities, like from Google or Facebook, to sign in. Their identity provider handles their identity, while you manage access to your apps using Microsoft Entra ID or Azure AD B2C for security.

You can get started on Microsoft’s site here.