My old phone has broken so I can’t access the old authenticator app so now I can’t log in on the phone as I need the old phone to login which I broken

Hi @Toby Davis (UG),

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Thank you for reaching out to us. I understand how inconvenient it can be to lose access to your accounts after your phone broke and you can’t use your authenticator app.

This issue commonly occurs when your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings need to be reset, particularly after changing devices. Since your new phone hasn’t been configured with the Authenticator yet, you're currently unable to access your account. The app remains linked to your previous device, which is why you're not receiving the authentication codes. 

Since you are using a work or school email address, the MFA settings are managed by your institution's IT department. For assistance with resetting or updating your MFA, you will need to contact them directly to resolve this.   

Please contact your institution's IT Help Desk or support team and explain the situation. You can say: "I am stuck in a login loop between Microsoft Office and the Microsoft Authenticator app. I cannot get the code to sign in."   

Specifically ask them to “Reset my MFA settings or allow me to re-register for MFA". This is a standard request, and your institution's IT team should be able to assist you with it.    

You can also share the steps in this Microsoft article for them so they can help reset your MFA settings for you Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication.  

Once your institution's in has reset your MFA, the next time you log in to your account, you will be guided through the process of setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app again from the beginning by scanning a QR code. This will break the loop and allow you to access your account normally.   

Please note that forum moderators do not have access to user account settings and cannot assist with logging in, resetting passwords, or changing access rights. While we do not have access to internal systems or administrative tools required to resolve account-specific or backend-related issues but we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.       

I hope this helps you regain access to your account quickly. I'm glad to assist and truly hope the information provided has been useful. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance.  

If you find my post helpful, kindly consider marking it as the accepted answer. Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.  

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum. 

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