simply can not sign in to my Microsoft account in any way

Question

simply can not sign in to my Microsoft account in any way

BradH 35

Hi all, I am having issues signing in to my Microsoft account. I t simply will not work no matter what I try and have had to create a new account just to post here as you need to sign in to post a question....

When I try signing in, I either get this:
User's image

or this :

User's image

Yes I have tried the sign in helper numerous times.

Yes I have cleared my cache.

Yes I have restarted my PC

Yes I have logged in from another device, which actually worked on mobile for Outlook, but nothing else.

This has been going on for a week now.

Please help, Microsoft ties your account to everything and so I am lost at the moment!

Thanks
Brad

Rodrigo filipe 5 Reputation points

2026-01-09T11:50:28.6733333+00:00

Help me please i my mom give me a new phone but i just forgot my outlook pass ant try it to many times and now its send a code to a pjone number that i dont have in more then 7 years and i need to go to my emails
Don Varnau 19,910 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-01-13T00:33:43.6466667+00:00

@ Rodrigo filipe,

If you can't access the phone number associated with this account, you only have a chance to recover the account if you submitted a backup email address. Try to sign in at https://outlook.live.com/ Enter the address, click on Next, then Forgot password. The next screen should show the phone number and, hopefully, an email address. If there isn't an address shown, click on Show more verification methods. If you don't then see a backup email address, you're out of luck. You will not be able to access/recover the hotmail account.

Since people ask...

Microsoft Support contacted via phone or chat won't be able to help you with this.

In this article https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/contacting-support-for-a-microsoft-account-bb65aa6a-9135-31df-0b36-d6318d6f4e0f
is the warning that
"Important:****To protect your account and its contents, our support agents and advocates are not allowed to send password reset links or access and change account details."

Don

Answer accepted by question author

Chen1018 13,875 Independent Advisor

Hi Brad,

Thank you for the follow-up,

Since none of the previous steps resolved the issue and you're stuck in a loop when trying to reach Microsoft support.

Please try this to Reach a Real Agent:

Use a different browser (or incognito mode) and go to the Microsoft support page.
Select “Contact support” and choose “Microsoft 365 and Office” > “Technical Support”.
When prompted by the virtual agent, type something like “Talk to an agent” or “Representative” repeatedly it usually redirects you to a live support option.
Choose the chat or call option (if available in your region). Be sure you're signed in to the temporary account that works, just to navigate through.

If that still fails, try using the Microsoft Support app on a phone, if possible it sometimes connects quicker to human support.

Warm regards,

Cherrelyn

BradH 35 Reputation points

2025-07-28T13:08:10.1866667+00:00

Thank you. I managed to reach out to support and it is fixed! The fix was to use a different browser and a different authentication method.

2 additional answers

Your answer

Rodrigo filipe 5 Reputation points

2026-01-09T11:50:28.6733333+00:00

Help me please i my mom give me a new phone but i just forgot my outlook pass ant try it to many times and now its send a code to a pjone number that i dont have in more then 7 years and i need to go to my emails
Don Varnau 19,910 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2026-01-13T00:33:43.6466667+00:00

@ Rodrigo filipe,

If you can't access the phone number associated with this account, you only have a chance to recover the account if you submitted a backup email address. Try to sign in at https://outlook.live.com/ Enter the address, click on Next, then Forgot password. The next screen should show the phone number and, hopefully, an email address. If there isn't an address shown, click on Show more verification methods. If you don't then see a backup email address, you're out of luck. You will not be able to access/recover the hotmail account.

Since people ask...

Microsoft Support contacted via phone or chat won't be able to help you with this.

In this article https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/contacting-support-for-a-microsoft-account-bb65aa6a-9135-31df-0b36-d6318d6f4e0f
is the warning that
"Important:****To protect your account and its contents, our support agents and advocates are not allowed to send password reset links or access and change account details."

Don
BradH 35 Reputation points

2025-07-28T13:08:10.1866667+00:00

Thank you. I managed to reach out to support and it is fixed! The fix was to use a different browser and a different authentication method.

Answer 1

Chen1018 13,875 Independent Advisor

Hi Brad,

I’m Cherrelyn, and I'm here to help.

Since you've already tried the usual steps and even had partial access on mobile, it sounds like there may be a sync or security flag affecting your sign-in on other services. I recommend continuing to use the device where sign-in is working to submit another recovery attempt or verify any alerts in your account settings this often helps restore full access faster.

I hope this will help and if you have any question please don't hesitate to reply to this thread.

Warm regards,

Cherrelyn

BradH 35 Reputation points

2025-07-28T10:42:30.9833333+00:00

Thanks for replying. I do get a notification to sign in but I get the same "please use a different device" message. Any more ideas?

Answer 2

Hi Brad,

Thanks for the update.

Since you’re seeing “please use a different device” and still can’t sign in even after receiving the notification, this suggests your account might be caught in a security loop or partial lock.

Please try these suggestion Instead:

Use a Familiar Device & Network Try logging in from the same device, browser, and Wi-Fi you’ve used previously with this account. Microsoft flags unfamiliar sign-in environments more strictly.
Check Authenticator App If you’ve ever set up Microsoft Authenticator, open the app and look for any pending sign-in approvals. Sometimes it doesn’t send alerts, but the request waits in the background.
Browser Troubleshooting Try a different browser in private/incognito mode. Also, ensure there are no browser extensions or VPNs running that could interfere with authentication.
Recovery Form Again Submit the account recovery form again from the device that’s partially working (your mobile, if it lets you access Outlook). Provide as much detail as possible, especially recent folder names, subject lines, or people you've emailed.
Temporary Delay If there have been too many failed attempts recently, Microsoft may impose a short waiting period before it allows further sign-ins. Waiting 24 hours before retrying can sometimes help reset the block.

If none of these work, you might consider creating a temporary account to contact Microsoft support directly for further investigation.

Warm regards,

Cherrelyn

BradH 35 Reputation points

2025-07-28T11:23:26.1633333+00:00

HI, thanks again. None of these options work. I have tried to contact Microsoft directly but always end up in a never ending loop of AI trying to ask me what I need help with. Please can you let me know how to contact them directly. Since this has been happening for 3 days I doubt a cool off period applies.

Thanks

Brad