No access to verification details

To verify and regain access when the old phone number and Authenticator app cannot be used, the steps depend on whether this is a personal Microsoft account (Outlook/Hotmail/Live) or a work/school account.

1. If this is a personal Microsoft account (Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live, etc.):

• If at least one security method (phone/email) still works:
  1. Go to the Advanced security options page and sign in.
  2. Select Add a new way to sign in or verify.
  3. Choose a new email address or authenticator app as the verification method.
  4. Enter the code sent to the new method to confirm.
  5. Remove the old phone/email that is no longer accessible.
• If none of the security info (phone/email) is accessible but the password is known:
  1. Start signing in to the Microsoft account.
  2. At the Verify your identity prompt, select I don't have any of these.
  3. Follow the instructions to replace the security info.
  4. After replacing the security info, there is a 30‑day wait before normal sign‑in is allowed. During those 30 days, if the old security info becomes available again and is used, the update will be canceled.
• If the password is not known and no security info is accessible:
  1. Review the guidance in Help with the Microsoft account recovery form.
  2. Submit the recovery request using the Recover account form.

2. If this is a work or school account (Microsoft 365 for education):

• If another sign‑in method exists (for example, email code, SMS, or another phone): use that alternative method to sign in and then update security info.
• If no alternative method works and only Authenticator was configured:
  • Contact the organization’s IT administrator or help desk and ask them to reset the multifactor authentication settings in Microsoft Entra Admin Center so that sign‑in can be re‑registered.
• If the user is the only administrator and is locked out:
  • Call the Microsoft customer service phone number for the region and request a ticket with the Data Protection team to reset the admin account’s authentication methods. Be prepared to verify identity and tenant details.

3. General notes on updating security info:

• When prompted with messages like "make sure you can receive a security code" or "Help us secure your account", add a new email address or verification method that can currently be accessed.
• Do not remove all existing security info at once; removing all methods can trigger a 30‑day restriction on the account.
• Support agents cannot send verification codes, password reset links, or directly change account security info; recovery must be completed through the self‑service flows and, for work/school tenants, through verified admin/Data Protection processes.

References:

• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• Help us secure your account
• Microsoft account security info & verification codes
• Restore account credentials from Microsoft Authenticator
• How Do I Regain Access to My Account After Losing Access to Microsoft Authenticator? (Urgent Request). - Microsoft Q&A
• I cant log in to my business account because it is requiring Authenticator app which I do not have - Microsoft Q&A
• I have a Micrsoft business account and I am the admin and the only user registered under this account. I can't log in because i have replaced my phone and the authenticator doesn't work. - Microsoft Q&A
• Microsoft authenticator sending me into a spiral - Microsoft Q&A
• Requesting a Tenant Admin MFA Reset - Microsoft Q&A