Im unable to log in to my email because I dont have access to my authenticator app.

Question

Im unable to log in to my email because I dont have access to my authenticator app.

Hailey Kim 30

I recently bought a new phone and everything is logged in but I didnt know that my old phone solely has access to the authenticator app. There is no way i can get back into my old phone, because I don't have it anymore. Whenever I try to log into my microsoft account it asks to Authenticate using the app which I can't use. I try clicking on the "can't use my authenticator app right now" and it asks me to enter a code from the app. How do I gain access over my app and microsoft account again because this is really frustrating. I cannot view any of my work emails. I was also trying to see if I could ask my administrator to gain access for me but in order to find contact my administrator I need to be able to log into my microsoft account.

Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-10-07T08:08:49.3766667+00:00

Hi @Hailey Kim

Is there any update on this thread?

If the issue has been resolved, please mark the helpful replies as answers, this will make answer searching in the forum easier and be beneficial to other community members as well.

Thank for your support and understanding！
Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-10-09T02:49:08.5133333+00:00

Hi @Hailey Kim

If the answer is helpful, would you mind marking the helpful post as an answer? As it could help other members of the Microsoft Q&A community who have similar questions and are looking for solutions.

Warm thanks!

1 answer

Your answer

Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-10-07T08:08:49.3766667+00:00

Hi @Hailey Kim

Is there any update on this thread?

If the issue has been resolved, please mark the helpful replies as answers, this will make answer searching in the forum easier and be beneficial to other community members as well.

Thank for your support and understanding！
Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-10-09T02:49:08.5133333+00:00

Hi @Hailey Kim

If the answer is helpful, would you mind marking the helpful post as an answer? As it could help other members of the Microsoft Q&A community who have similar questions and are looking for solutions.

Warm thanks!

Answer 1

Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Microsoft External Staff

Hi @Hailey Kim

Welcome to our forum!

Here are some steps you can take to regain access to your Microsoft account without the authenticator app:

Restore from Authenticator Cloud Backup: If there was a cloud backup set up for the Microsoft Authenticator app, you can restore it. Make sure no accounts have been added to the newly installed app. Then sign in with the recovery account to do the restore. This can help recover account credentials from the cloud account.
Use the Microsoft Account Recovery Form:
- Visit the Microsoft account recovery page.
- Enter the email address or phone number associated with your account.
- Follow the prompts to verify your identity using other available methods.
Use a Backup Email or Phone Number: If you have a backup email or phone number set up, you can use it to receive a verification code. This option should appear when you click “I can’t use my authenticator app right now.”
Contact Microsoft Support: You can reach out to Microsoft Support directly for assistance. Here are the contact numbers:
- India: 0008004402130
- USA: 1-800-642-7676
- UK: 0800 026 03 30

In addition, i find a similar thread that people find it useful, please feel free to refer to. User's image

Hope it helps!

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Hailey Kim 30 Reputation points

2024-10-01T03:26:58.3433333+00:00

Thank you but none of these links can help me. These are all for personal emails and my issue is with a work email. Everything that I have tried to do requires a verification code from my microsoft authenticator app which I have zero access to. I am logged into the app on my new device but since my old phone is the primary device I cannot log into any of my other microsoft apps
Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-10-01T06:04:15.6366667+00:00
Hi @Hailey Kim

Thanks for response.

Here are some steps you can take:

Contact Your IT Administrator: If you are part of an organization, your IT administrator can disable MFA for your account temporarily. They can also help you set up a new authentication method.

Use an Alternate Verification Method: When signing in, look for an option like “Use a different verification option” or “I can’t use my authenticator app right now.” This might allow you to use a backup email or phone number for verification.

Disable MFA Temporarily: If you have another admin account in your organization, use it to disable MFA for the affected account. Here’s how:

Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as a security administrator.

Navigate to Identity > Overview > Properties.

Select Manage security defaults and set it to Disabled (not recommended for long-term use).

Microsoft Support: If none of the above options work, contact Microsoft Support for assistance. They can guide you through the process of recovering your account without MFA. You can reach them through the Microsoft Support page or by calling their support number.

Hope it helps!
Hailey Kim 30 Reputation points

2024-10-01T06:26:34.57+00:00

As I have previously stated, I tried to look for my administrators email to see if they could gain access to my account for me but I need to be able to log into my work email in order to obtain that information. As for the other options, I cannot use an alternate verification method. I have tried countless times and every time it ends up asking me to put in a verification code shown on my authenticator app which I have no access to since my old phone is still set as the primary device. I have tried calling the microsoft support number multiple times but it is an automated message that just brings me right back to this link. I appreciate the efforts that are being made but nothing that has been suggested has worked. Every option either requires me to enter a verification code from the authenticator app or log into my microsoft account which I absolutely cannot do without the authenticator app.
Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-10-01T07:19:47.0066667+00:00

Hi @Hailey Kim

Thanks for your patience.

I find a thread which mentioned several methods about how to verify account without a phone, and many people find it useful, please feel free to refer to.

Hope it helps!
Joan Hua-MSFT 5,300 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2024-10-04T01:31:24.45+00:00

Hi @Hailey Kim

Just checking in to see if above information was helpful. If it is useful, would you mind marking the helpful post as an answer? Which would benefit others who also has similar issues in forum.

Warm thanks！

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Im unable to log in to my email because I dont have access to my authenticator app.

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