How to use 25-digit Recovery Code

Question

I cannot access my accounts. I was a victim of identity theft, and my laptop was what was used to gather and steal all my information. I have put my life back together mostly and cancelled or abandoned every account I had everywhere and opened new ones to be safe. But I have thousands of emails, each with sets of photos from 2011-2023 and they are all on my Microsoft accounts. The thieves got into my accounts and changed all of my passwords so I could no longer access them or monitor the ones tied to my finances.

I just found my Security Key, a 25-digit number I wrote down and put in the safe when i got the computer, But I don't know where i can enter that to access my accounts. When I don't know my password, it tells me to check with my administrator, but there is just me. No administrator. Is that something the thieves did and now I can't get my accounts back?

Help please

Answer 1

Dear Nicole D253

Thank you for posting in the Microsoft Community.

I understand that you have a 25-digit recovery code and you want to recover an account that was previously stolen by a hacker.

You can follow my screenshot guide to try.

First go to the account login screen to enter your account and log in.

Microsoft account | Sign In or Create Your Account Today – Microsoft

Enter the password stage and select Forgot password.

Select I don't have any of these at the Select Authentication Method stage.

You will then be asked to enter the 25-digit recovery code.

I hope that my reply will be helpful to you.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any further updates, thanks.

Best Regards,

Simon - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist