I am unable to add a new phone number or change my existing number

Venkatesan M 0 Reputation points
2026-09-13T05:37:03.4333333+00:00

I logged in to my Microsoft account. I wanted to change my phone number, But not able to change as I can not add a new number before removing the existing number.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For home | iOS
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  1. DaveM121 929.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-13T06:12:44.38+00:00

    Microsoft announced they are deprecating SMS recovery codes on Microsoft accounts, it is no longer possible to add a new Phone number to a Microsoft account, they indicate we should not use the Authenticator app, a PassKey or add a new Email address for account recovery.

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/microsoft-account-security-info-verification-codes

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-13T05:37:18.0766667+00:00

    For a personal Microsoft account, adding a new phone number as a new sign-in verification method may no longer be available. Microsoft notes that when adding a new way to sign in or verify, the option to add a new phone number might not appear. In that case, use another verification method such as a recovery email address, Microsoft Authenticator, or a passkey.

    If the current phone number is part of the account alias list, it can still be removed or replaced:

    1. Go to Manage how you sign in to Microsoft and sign in.
    2. Under Account alias, find the phone number.
    3. Select Remove next to the phone number.
    4. If the phone number is the primary alias, complete the additional prompts before it can be removed.
    5. If available on the page, select Add phone number and follow the prompts.

    If the number is already attached to another Microsoft account, it cannot be added until it is removed from that other account:

    1. Sign in to the account that currently has the phone number.
    2. Select Remove next to that phone number.
    3. Sign out.
    4. Sign in to the target account.
    5. Select Add phone number.

    If a message says the number was recently used on another account, the transfer option may not appear yet. In that case, the supported option is to use a different mobile number, or try again after 30 days if the number is new to the account.

    If the goal is only to update the phone number shown in a Skype profile, that can be changed separately in the Skype profile page under Contact details and then verified.


    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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