Authenticator app

Good day @Quynh-Huong Nguyen, and I’m sorry to hear you're having trouble accessing your work account due to Microsoft Authenticator app. 

Just to gently clarify before we go any further, this is a user‑to‑user support forum. I don’t have the ability to access or investigate individual accounts because this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, do not have access to internal systems or the ability to directly take action on Microsoft product features. However, I truly hope I can help review your situation, offer some guidance, and support you in finding the right next steps as best as possible.  

To better assist you, could you please clarify the following:  

• Have you previously set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on any device for this account, or is this your first time trying to sign in?    
• If so, are you currently using the same device where you originally registered the Authenticator app? Have you recently switched to a new device? 

Additionally, when your company enforces multi-factor authentication (MFA) and only allows verification through the Microsoft Authenticator app, the system will not display other options such as SMS, email, or phone call unless those methods have been configured by your administrator. That’s likely why you're being prompted exclusively for the Authenticator app.   

Since you haven’t mentioned whether you’re the sole IT admin or an end-user in your organization, here are a few workarounds you can try:  

Option 1: Use another registered verification method  

If you or your IT admin previously added SMS, phone call, or a backup method, you should see “Sign in with another method” on the login screen.   

Selecting this will show other methods linked to your account. For instance, you might see options such as “Text” or “Call” or “Email”, if those were configured. Choose one of those and check for a code via SMS or email.   

If you receive the code on your phone via SMS or via email, enter it to complete the sign-in. Once you are in your account (perhaps via the web on a computer), you can then update your security verification settings and re-add the Authenticator properly.  

However, if your account was set to use only the Authenticator app with no backup methods configured, then alternative options will not be available. In this case, your organization’s IT department manages your MFA settings and will need to assist directly.  

Option 2: Contact your IT admin  

Please contact your organization's IT Help Desk or support team and explain the situation. You can say: "I am stuck in a login loop with 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 organization'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 organization resets 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.  

Option 3: If you are the only admin and can’t get into your account 

• If you're the only admin, in this situation, the Microsoft Data Protection Team has tools and processes in place to verify identity and regain access to administrator accounts. You can try reaching out to our Global Customer Service phone to raise a request for resetting your authentication method here: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support.  

Here are some tips and an example of a prompt to help you navigate the IVR more effectively:        

(When you call the support number, you may hear an introduction of about 30 seconds such as "you can visit the link...". You can ignore this introduction and wait until you are presented with the options. Then press "1" as a business email user, and again "1" for technical help.)    

IVR: What kind of problem are you concerned about?    

You: Authenticator.    

A: What products do you use?    

You: Office 365 for business. 

Verification: Education or company account?    

You: For companies 

IVR: Are you an administrator?     

You: Yes. 

IVR: Are there any other administrators in your organization?     

You: No. 

IVR: Do you need a... Service request?     

You: Yes. I need to create a ticket. Please send me directly to the Data Protection Team. 

• As an alternative, you can create a new tenant account and submit your request from there.      

To set up a new tenant, please follow these steps: 

Visit  Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365. This would allow you to create a new tenant following the prompts provided. Once set up, you can access the admin console of the new tenant and submit a support ticket requesting to speak with the Data Protection team on behalf of your previous tenant.       

Follow the guided setup process to create a new account for a new tenant.   

Once your tenant is created, you should be able to access the support portal and submit your ticket referencing your locked account without further issues 

In your ticket description, you'll need to clearly explain that you're trying to regain access to your previous Microsoft 365 tenant and need help from the Data Protection team. Here's a message you can use or adapt:   

"Hello, I’m currently unable to access my previous Microsoft 365 tenant due to losing MFA access, which prevents me from receiving verification codes. I’m the global admin, but I’m locked out and unable to generate a QR code or bypass MFA.   

I created this new tenant solely to request assistance. I kindly ask to be connected with the Data Protection team to verify my identity and help me recover access to the original tenant.   

This is urgent, as I rely on Microsoft 365 for my work and have been unable to operate for several days. I’m available to provide any documentation or verification needed to support the recovery process."   

• Ticket Support: In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Support > Help & Support. You can raise support ticket at https://admin.microsoft.com/#/support/requests     
• Please remember to cancel the trial subscription after your issue is resolved, as this will help you avoid any accidental billing. You may prefer the following resource for detailed instructions: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn 

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. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding.  

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