My brother passed away in December 2024 and can not use his computer due 2 step Verifcation

For a deceased person’s Microsoft account and devices, Microsoft cannot bypass security or provide access codes directly to non-account holders for privacy and legal reasons.

Based on the described situation, there are three separate aspects:

1. Access to the deceased person’s Microsoft account or data
2. Cancelling any subscriptions or payments
3. Making the PC usable again for someone else

1. Accessing the deceased person’s Microsoft account or data

If access to the account or its contents (Outlook.com, OneDrive, etc.) is required, Microsoft can only consider releasing information after being formally served with a valid subpoena or court order:

• Microsoft must receive a valid non‑criminal subpoena or court order served on Microsoft’s registered agent in the requesting party’s state or region.
• After that, Microsoft will review whether it is legally allowed to release any information.
• Even with a subpoena or court order, Microsoft may still be unable to provide account contents.

Details are in the “If you need access to the account, seek legal guidance” section of the guidance on accounts when someone has died.

If OneDrive Digital legacy had not been set up by the deceased, Microsoft is generally unable to provide information or files to non‑account holders for privacy and legal reasons.

2. Cancelling subscriptions if you do not have account access

If the Microsoft account credentials are not available and the account cannot be accessed, subscriptions can be stopped at the payment source instead:

• Contact the bank or credit card issuer and cancel or block recurring payments to Microsoft.
• Closing the card or revoking authorization will stop further subscription charges.

If the account is not used, it will eventually close automatically:

• Outlook.com and OneDrive accounts are frozen after 1 year of inactivity and data is deleted shortly after.
• Microsoft accounts expire after 2 years of inactivity.

3. Making the computer usable again

Microsoft cannot remove two‑step verification, Authenticator, or other security protections from a deceased person’s account without the legal process described above.

To make the device usable for someone else, the practical path is usually to:

• Back up any needed data first (if that is legally and technically possible), then
• Perform a full reset or clean installation of Windows on the PC so it can be set up with a new Microsoft account.

If the drive is encrypted with BitLocker and the BitLocker recovery key is not available, the encrypted data cannot be accessed. In that case, the only option is to format the drive and reinstall Windows; the existing data cannot be recovered.

About “Next of Kin” and where to send documents

For personal Microsoft accounts, there is no direct email channel to submit “Next of Kin” documentation. Instead:

• If access to account contents is required, work with a legal professional to obtain and serve a valid subpoena or court order as described above.
• If only subscription charges need to be stopped, handle this through the bank or card issuer as noted.

Microsoft’s published guidance for deceased or incapacitated users is the authoritative reference for available options and limitations.

References:

• Accessing Outlook.com, OneDrive and other Microsoft services when someone has died
• Preserve your digital legacy with OneDrive
• How to Cancel Microsoft 365 subscription if you do not have account info? Or get anyone to help? - Microsoft Q&A