Authenticator Problem

Question

Hi, my phone got changed but i forgot to move authenticator from old phone before wiping the data and now on the new phone it doesn't work the way it should, like i can't access word and other apps. What am i supposed to do in this situation. It says that we're sending a code to authenticator but nothing happens.

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Moved from: Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For education | Other

Answer 1

If you have lost access to the Microsoft Authenticator app after changing your phone and wiping the old one, you will need to reset your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings. Here are the steps you can take:

1. Contact your IT administrator: Since you are unable to receive codes via the Authenticator app, reach out to your IT support or administrator. They can reset your MFA settings for you.
2. Reset MFA settings: Your IT admin can follow these steps to reset your MFA settings:
   • Sign in to the cloud service portal as an admin.
   • Go to the Multi-Factor Authentication settings.
   • Select the account that needs resetting.
   • Choose to require the user to provide contact methods again and save the changes.
3. Set up MFA again: Once your MFA settings have been reset, you can set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on your new phone. Make sure to follow the setup instructions carefully to link your new device with your work account.

If you have any issues, make sure to ask your IT support for assistance.

Answer 2

Hi @Abdul Rehman,

Thank you for posting on Microsoft Q&A forum and I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble logging into your Microsoft account. 

This issue commonly occurs when your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings need to be reset, particularly after changing devices or reinstalling the Microsoft Authenticator app. Since your new device 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.

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As the account type has not been specified, I may not be able to provide an exact solution. If you are using a work or school account, please refer to the following steps intended for end-users. Should you be an administrator addressing an Authenticator-related issue, kindly inform me so that I can provide guidance tailored to administrative role.

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

Please contact your school'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 school'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 school's IT admin 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, 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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