Microsoft sign-in issue | "Need admin approval" – Help Center

If you encounter the "Need admin approval" message when signing in to Otter using Continue with Microsoft, your organization's Microsoft Entra ID settings may require administrator consent before Otter can access your Microsoft account.

This typically occurs when the Otter application has not been granted the necessary permissions or your organization restricts users from consenting to third-party applications. A Microsoft Entra administrator must review and approve the required permissions or update the organization's consent settings.

Note: Microsoft account permissions and consent policies are managed by your organization's Microsoft Entra ID administrator. Otter cannot approve Microsoft permissions or override your organization's consent requirements.

Error message

You may see the following Microsoft sign-in message when selecting Continue with Microsoft:

Need admin approval: The Otter application requires permission to access resources in your organization that only an administrator can grant.

Microsoft Need admin approval message when signing in to Otter

How to resolve the "Need admin approval" error

To resolve this error, contact your organization's Microsoft Entra ID administrator. They can review the permissions requested by Otter and determine which consent method is appropriate for your organization.

Microsoft Entra ID supports different consent configurations, including administrator approval and user consent policies. Choose the option that aligns with your organization's security requirements.

Note: Microsoft Entra ID settings, navigation, and interface options may change over time. For the most up-to-date information and instructions, refer to Microsoft's official documentation on user consent. The steps and screenshots in this article may differ slightly from what you see in the Microsoft Entra admin center.

If your organization requires administrator approval for third-party applications, your Microsoft Entra ID administrator can configure the admin consent workflow.

This allows users to request access to Otter without changing the organization's general user consent policy.

As an administrator, open the Microsoft Entra admin center.
Navigate to Entra ID → Enterprise applications → Consent and permissions.
Select Admin consent settings.
Under Admin consent requests, enable Users can request admin consent to apps they are unable to consent to.
Configure the designated reviewers and any additional workflow settings required by your organization, then click Save.
Have the affected user retry signing in to Otter using Continue with Microsoft and submit an admin consent request if prompted.
An authorized Microsoft Entra administrator or designated reviewer must review and approve the request before the user can complete sign-in.

Note: Enabling the admin consent workflow does not automatically approve Otter. An authorized reviewer must approve the request. If your organization has a different approval process, follow your Microsoft Entra administrator's instructions.

Microsoft Entra administrators can configure user consent policies that determine whether users can approve applications requesting access to their Microsoft accounts.

Depending on your organization's policies, administrators may allow users to consent to certain applications without requiring individual administrator approval.

As an administrator, open the Microsoft Entra admin center.
Navigate to Entra ID → Enterprise applications.
Under Security, select Consent and permissions.
Select User consent settings.
Review the available options under User consent for applications and select a policy that meets your organization's security requirements.
Click Save to apply the changes.
Have the affected user retry signing in to Otter using Continue with Microsoft.

Note: User consent policies do not override permissions that require administrator consent. If Otter requests permissions that users cannot approve under your organization's policies, an administrator must grant consent instead.

Once the required permissions are approved, users can attempt to sign in to Otter using Continue with Microsoft.

Additional assistance

If your organization cannot approve the required permissions or the error continues after updating Microsoft Entra settings, contact your organization's Microsoft Entra administrator.

Your administrator can review Microsoft sign-in logs, application permissions, and consent policies to determine why the request is being blocked. For issues related to Microsoft Entra ID policies or consent configuration, refer to Microsoft's documentation or contact Microsoft Support.

If the issue appears to be related to Otter after Microsoft permissions have been granted, contact our Otter Support team for additional assistance.

Set up SAML SSO with Microsoft Entra ID

If your organization uses Microsoft Entra ID to manage employee authentication, you can also configure SAML Single Sign-On (SSO) for your Otter Enterprise workspace.

Learn how to create and configure your Otter Enterprise application in Microsoft Entra ID, enable SAML SSO, and manage advanced security options in our complete setup guide.

🔐 Set up SAML SSO with Microsoft Entra ID

FAQs

What does "Need admin approval" mean when signing in to Otter?

The "Need admin approval" message means Microsoft Entra ID requires administrator consent before the Otter application can access the requested Microsoft account permissions.

Your organization's Microsoft Entra administrator must approve the permissions or configure an appropriate consent policy.

Do I need a Microsoft Entra administrator to resolve this error?

Yes, if the requested permissions require administrator consent or your organization's policies prevent users from granting consent themselves.

Contact your organization's Microsoft Entra administrator to request access to Otter.

It depends on your organization's Microsoft Entra user consent policies and the permissions requested by Otter.

Some permissions can be approved by users if their organization allows user consent. Other permissions require administrator approval regardless of the user consent settings.

Is "Continue with Microsoft" the same as SAML SSO?

No. Continue with Microsoft uses Microsoft's account sign-in and authorization flow, while SAML SSO is an Enterprise authentication configuration that allows your organization to manage access to Otter through its identity provider.

If your organization uses SAML SSO, refer to the Microsoft Entra ID SAML SSO setup guide for configuration instructions.

What should I do if the error continues after administrator approval?

If you continue seeing "Need admin approval", ask your Microsoft Entra administrator to verify that the required permissions were approved for the correct application and Microsoft tenant.

Your administrator should also review the organization's consent policies and any relevant Microsoft sign-in logs.

If the issue continues after Microsoft permissions have been approved, contact our Otter Support team and provide a screenshot of the error message, the approximate time of the failed sign-in, and any relevant details from your Microsoft Entra administrator.

Related to

Error message

How to resolve the "Need admin approval" error

Option 1: Request administrator approval Allow users to request approval when Microsoft Entra ID requires administrator consent for Otter.

Option 2: Configure user consent permissions Allow eligible users to consent to applications based on your organization's Microsoft Entra policies.