I am locked out of my second active directory (Entra Directory admin)

Question

I am locked out of my second active directory (Entra Directory admin)

Jacquin Buchanan 0

MFA has locked me out of my other Active Directory

I can log into my Azure Portal with 2-factor auth just fine. When I go to switch directories I get a MFA popup but that does not work. It does not push to my Authenticator app. It offers no other 2-factor auth like phone or email. I have reset both user accounts in the Portal, I can log out of the portal and back in, but nothing changes this blocker.

Raja Pothuraju 25,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-06-30T08:22:51.2233333+00:00
Hello Jacquin Buchanan,

Based on your description, I see you are unable to login into Azure Portal due to an incomplete MFA process and looking to reset your MFA for your user.

In this situation, you need to contact your other Global administrator to reset your MFA registration.

Please share these steps with another global administrator in the tenant to reset your MFA.

To manage user settings, complete the following steps:

1.Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Administrator.

2.Browse to Identity > Users > All users.

3.Choose the user you wish to perform an action on and select Authentication methods. At the top of the window, then choose “Require re-register MFA” options for the user.

Then you can login back to any office application and register with new MFA auth method.

If you are the only Global Admin in the tenant, this qualifies as a tenant lockout scenario. To resolve this, we need to engage the Data Protection team via a support ticket to unblock your access.

To proceed, I will need a few details from you. As this information contains Personally Identifiable Information (PII), please share the following details via private message:

Contact phone number (add +Country code)

Contact email address

Global admin email address (affected account)

Affected tenant ID

Country

TimeZone

Please send me the detail via private message.

We can then connect offline to discuss further and assist you in resolving this issue.
Jacquin Buchanan 0 Reputation points

2025-06-30T17:10:33.1466667+00:00

I’m the only user on both the Azure Portal and Microsoft Entra for my tenant. I can still log into the Azure Portal successfully, but I’m unable to access Microsoft Entra, which means I can't follow the usual recovery steps or access Entra ID management.

Your advice makes sense if another Global Administrator were available, but in my case, there isn’t one. I'm effectively locked out of Microsoft Entra.

Thanks for clarifying that Azure Portal login and Microsoft Entra login are separate entry points, even though they’re both backed by Entra ID. That was confusing for me at first because they originally showed up as a single entry in my Microsoft Authenticator app. At some point, they must have split into distinct app registrations or endpoints — and now, for some reason, Microsoft Entra no longer recognizes or communicates with my Authenticator app, while Azure still does.

Any guidance on how to proceed when you're the sole admin locked out of Entra, and when support options appear limited unless you're on a higher-tier support plan, would be greatly appreciated.
Raja Pothuraju 25,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-07-02T03:49:21.9466667+00:00

Hello Jacquin Buchanan,

Although Azure and Entra have separate portals, they both authenticate against the same tenant. Technically, you shouldn’t face any issues if you’re able to sign in to the Azure Portal.

It seems that when you log in to the Entra Portal, you might be redirected to a different tenant where you’re added as a guest user. I recommend accessing the Entra Portal in an InPrivate window, specifying your tenant ID directly: entra.microsoft.com/<tenant_ID> (replace <tenant_ID> with your actual tenant ID).
Jacquin Buchanan 0 Reputation points

2025-07-03T16:59:58.4833333+00:00

Hi Raja,

Thank you so much for your help.

I was mistaken about the original issue. Using the method you described (entra.microsoft.com/<tenant_ID>), I am able to access the Microsoft Entra Admin Center — so I appreciate that clarification.

Here’s where I’m running into confusion:

When I go to Portal Settings > Directories + Subscriptions, I see two directories listed. When I click the Switch button to change to the other directory (the one associated with my website's OAuth), I get an MFA prompt — but it doesn't connect to my Authenticator App.

I assume these directories are tied to my two separate user accounts, but any changes I make in the Entra Admin Center to either user don’t seem to affect the behavior of that MFA prompt.

Do you have any suggestions on how to resolve this or better understand what’s going on?

Best regards, Jacquin
Raja Pothuraju 25,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-07-03T17:55:21.31+00:00

Hello Jacquin Buchanan,

You need to reset your MFA in the tenant where you switch to another Entra directory from the Switch directories page in the Azure portal as you're not receiving the MFA prompt in your Authenticator app.

In this situation, you’ll need to contact another Global Administrator in the affected tenant and ask them to reset your MFA registration.

Please share these steps with another global administrator in the tenant to reset your MFA.

To manage user settings, complete the following steps:

1.Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Administrator.

2.Browse to Identity > Users > All users.

3.Choose the user you wish to perform an action on and select Authentication methods. At the top of the window, then choose “Require re-register MFA” options for the user.

Then you can login back to Azure Portal and register with new MFA auth method.

If you unaware of that tenant admin, please share the tenant ID with me over private message.

1 answer

Your answer

Raja Pothuraju 25,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-06-30T08:22:51.2233333+00:00

Hello Jacquin Buchanan,

Based on your description, I see you are unable to login into Azure Portal due to an incomplete MFA process and looking to reset your MFA for your user.

In this situation, you need to contact your other Global administrator to reset your MFA registration.

Please share these steps with another global administrator in the tenant to reset your MFA.

To manage user settings, complete the following steps:

1.Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Administrator.

2.Browse to Identity > Users > All users.

3.Choose the user you wish to perform an action on and select Authentication methods. At the top of the window, then choose “Require re-register MFA” options for the user.

Then you can login back to any office application and register with new MFA auth method.

If you are the only Global Admin in the tenant, this qualifies as a tenant lockout scenario. To resolve this, we need to engage the Data Protection team via a support ticket to unblock your access.

To proceed, I will need a few details from you. As this information contains Personally Identifiable Information (PII), please share the following details via private message:

Contact phone number (add +Country code)

Contact email address

Global admin email address (affected account)

Affected tenant ID

Country

TimeZone

Please send me the detail via private message.

We can then connect offline to discuss further and assist you in resolving this issue.
Jacquin Buchanan 0 Reputation points

2025-06-30T17:10:33.1466667+00:00

I’m the only user on both the Azure Portal and Microsoft Entra for my tenant. I can still log into the Azure Portal successfully, but I’m unable to access Microsoft Entra, which means I can't follow the usual recovery steps or access Entra ID management.

Your advice makes sense if another Global Administrator were available, but in my case, there isn’t one. I'm effectively locked out of Microsoft Entra.

Thanks for clarifying that Azure Portal login and Microsoft Entra login are separate entry points, even though they’re both backed by Entra ID. That was confusing for me at first because they originally showed up as a single entry in my Microsoft Authenticator app. At some point, they must have split into distinct app registrations or endpoints — and now, for some reason, Microsoft Entra no longer recognizes or communicates with my Authenticator app, while Azure still does.

Any guidance on how to proceed when you're the sole admin locked out of Entra, and when support options appear limited unless you're on a higher-tier support plan, would be greatly appreciated.
Raja Pothuraju 25,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-07-02T03:49:21.9466667+00:00

Hello Jacquin Buchanan,

Although Azure and Entra have separate portals, they both authenticate against the same tenant. Technically, you shouldn’t face any issues if you’re able to sign in to the Azure Portal.

It seems that when you log in to the Entra Portal, you might be redirected to a different tenant where you’re added as a guest user. I recommend accessing the Entra Portal in an InPrivate window, specifying your tenant ID directly: entra.microsoft.com/<tenant_ID> (replace <tenant_ID> with your actual tenant ID).
Jacquin Buchanan 0 Reputation points

2025-07-03T16:59:58.4833333+00:00

Hi Raja,

Thank you so much for your help.

I was mistaken about the original issue. Using the method you described (entra.microsoft.com/<tenant_ID>), I am able to access the Microsoft Entra Admin Center — so I appreciate that clarification.

Here’s where I’m running into confusion:

When I go to Portal Settings > Directories + Subscriptions, I see two directories listed. When I click the Switch button to change to the other directory (the one associated with my website's OAuth), I get an MFA prompt — but it doesn't connect to my Authenticator App.

I assume these directories are tied to my two separate user accounts, but any changes I make in the Entra Admin Center to either user don’t seem to affect the behavior of that MFA prompt.

Do you have any suggestions on how to resolve this or better understand what’s going on?

Best regards, Jacquin
Raja Pothuraju 25,115 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-07-03T17:55:21.31+00:00

Hello Jacquin Buchanan,

You need to reset your MFA in the tenant where you switch to another Entra directory from the Switch directories page in the Azure portal as you're not receiving the MFA prompt in your Authenticator app.

In this situation, you’ll need to contact another Global Administrator in the affected tenant and ask them to reset your MFA registration.

Please share these steps with another global administrator in the tenant to reset your MFA.

To manage user settings, complete the following steps:

1.Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Administrator.

2.Browse to Identity > Users > All users.

3.Choose the user you wish to perform an action on and select Authentication methods. At the top of the window, then choose “Require re-register MFA” options for the user.

Then you can login back to Azure Portal and register with new MFA auth method.

If you unaware of that tenant admin, please share the tenant ID with me over private message.

Answer 1

Nathan Roberts (SN) 1,006 Volunteer Moderator

Hey there, Jacquin Buchanan

If there are no other admins on your tenant, who can reset your account. Please can you submit a support request in for Azure support here: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/support/create-ticket/?msockid=012fee8ffecc600a2c82fb63ff776173

You should be able to get this sorted after you confirm your details with the agent. This is so they can prove who you are. If you find that you are unable to submit a support request, please phone support via a phone number for your region listed on this page: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/global-customer-service-phone-numbers-c0389ade-5640-e588-8b0e-28de8afeb3f2

Hope this helps,
Nathan

Jacquin Buchanan 0 Reputation points

2025-06-30T17:02:24.78+00:00

I am the only user on the Azure Portal and Microsoft Entra. I can log into the Azure portal ok, but cannot login to Microsoft Entra. I tried both of the options above but neither got me to a person who could reset my Microsoft Entra account login. Perhaps in the tiers of Microsoft support, and I have not paid enough. Can you tell me at what level I need to pay support in order to reach a person to reset the Entra Login?

Share via

I am locked out of my second active directory (Entra Directory admin)

1 answer

Your answer