How do I change my phone number so I can get texts? My current phone cannot receive text messages.

Question

How do I change my phone number so I can get texts? My current phone cannot receive text messages.

Patricia Stiphout 0

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Dear @Patricia Stiphout,

Good day! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum!

Based on your description, I understand that you need to update the phone number used for verification because your current phone cannot receive text messages. You're looking for guidance on how to change your phone number so you can receive verification texts again.

To help determine the best way to update your phone number, could you please provide the following information:

Is this a personal Microsoft account (Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, Live.com) or a work/school account provided by your organization?
Are you currently able to sign in to your account, or are you being blocked because the verification code is being sent to the old phone number?
What application or service are you trying to access (Outlook on the web, Microsoft 365, Azure, etc.)?
Do you have any alternate authentication methods available (such as the Microsoft Authenticator app, email verification, or a backup phone number)?
Have you recently changed your phone number, mobile carrier, or device?
Are you receiving any error messages? If so, please share the exact wording or a screenshot (with any sensitive information removed).
If this is a work or school account, do you have contact of your organization's IT administrator?

Your confirmation would be very helpful in ensuring you receive the most suitable support!

If you’re able to share a bit more about your situation, I might be able to suggest some helpful next steps.

Kindly let me know when there are updates or if you need further assistance. Any updates you’re able to share would be really helpful. I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing how things are going!

Thank you for your time and patience.

If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Patricia Stiphout 0 Reputation points

2026-08-14T15:04:14.6466667+00:00

blocked because the verification code is being sent to the old phone number?
Julie Huynh 3,080 Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-14T15:14:02.84+00:00

Dear @Patricia Stiphout,

If you're an end-user, the availability of authentication methods such as SMS, phone call, or email is controlled by your organization's Entra ID administrators. In many organizations, users cannot add these methods themselves, and the option to manage additional authentication methods may be unavailable or restricted.In that case, we recommend contacting your IT administrator and asking them to review your account under:

Microsoft Entra Admin Center > Users > [Your User Account] > Authentication methods

From there, an administrator can verify whether alternative methods such as a phone number (SMS), email, or other supported authentication methods can be added to your account.

For detailed guidance, ask your IT administrator to review the step-by-step instructions provided in the referenced article: Add or change authentication methods for a user

Thank you for your kindness and understanding!

Answer 2

Hornblower409 14,425

@Patricia Stiphout said

How do I change my phone number so I can get texts?

You tagged your Question as: | Outlook on the web for business |

If this is not the case, and you are using a personal (free) Outlook/Microsoft account, you can not add or change your phone number. All you can do is remove an existing one.

See the Answer by Hornblower409 Jul 24, 2026" in https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5899469/having-trouble-adding-phone-number-to-microsoft-ac

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