* Locked out of My Email (Hotmail) Account I've had for 25+years due to lost cell phone that held Authenticator P/W

Question

I signed up for two step verification a long time ago and Downloaded Microsoft Authenticator app as part of this Ill-fated decision ....Then BINGO--. I Lost my Cell Phone ! !

NOW...I still have the Same phone number associated with My, now locked out email account , I've had Removed PII@hotmail.com" for approx. 30+ years. So via the original Cell Number i still have..........,. I can get thru the first p/w reset step (via my cell # access) but then it asks me for a second verification (Via Microsoft Authenticator App) which I can't provide. Because i lost my cell phone that held the "Original" Downloaded Microsoft Authenticator App!

My current email is Removed PII@outlook.com. Please help me reset my password as I have tons of data in the cloud associated with this 30 + year old account ! ! ! PLEASE Note = As recently as Two++ Years ago i had a Microsoft 365 Account associated with this Lifelong Email !

Answer 1

Good day! I hope you're doing well.

Just checking in to see if the above information was helpful. If you have any further updates on this issue, please feel free to post back. If you think my reply is helpful to you, please kindly mark it as an accepted answer, we’d really appreciate it! Your feedback helps others in the community too! Thanks for your understanding. 

Warm regards, 

Winnie

Answer 2

Microsoft sucks! they have locked me out of my own hotmail for a couple of years now and still wont let me back in.

20+ years of email, tossed aside by a corporate abuse.

and their support for recovery has been abysmal!

they want my creditcard # and expiration date from a microsoft purchase i made 7-8+ years ago

what????

your answers here are terrible, your company doesnt care about customers -windows 11 is proof there is no shame for Microsoft.

Answer 3

Hi Robert,

Thank you for reaching out and welcome to Microsoft Q&A! 

I’m really sorry to hear what you’ve gone through, and I want to thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. I understand how stressful and frustrating it must feel to lose access to your account.

Here are some ways that you should try:

1. Submit the Microsoft Account Recovery Form – Carefully and in details  

• In private/incognito mode, go to the Account Recovery Form
• Enter your locked email and a different working email for Microsoft’s reply   
• Provide as much accurate detail as possible, such as:    
  • Previous passwords you remember   
  • Folder names you created   
  • Email subjects and contacts you frequently wrote to   
  • Recovery phone number or backup email you may have used   
  • Previous billing/card info   
• Submit and wait 24–48 hours for a response. You may refine and resubmit up to twice per day.   

Tips:   

• Double-check the inbox (and spam/junk folder) of the alternate email address you provided in the form.   
• Make sure you used the correct contact email each time you submitted the form.   
• Submit from a trusted device/location: If possible, submit the form from a computer or network location you frequently used in the past to access your account. 
• Wait at least 24 hours between attempts. Multiple failed logins can extend the lockout period.   
• You should refer to this official guide to help you fill out the form more accurately: Help with the Microsoft account recovery form

2. Contact Microsoft Support team via a different Microsoft account.

If the recovery form fails, contact Microsoft directly:

• Visit Contact - Microsoft Support     
• Search for "Account Recovery" in the search box.   
• Click "Get Help" and press Enter.   
• Navigate through the support options to find "Contact Support."   
• Choose a relevant option like “Password Reset/Recovery” or “Manage Account Security.”   
• For product/service, select "Other Products."   
• For category, choose "Manage Account Security."   
• Look for and select "Chat with a support agent in your web browser" or a similar callback option.   
• Explain your situation clearly   
• Persistence: It can sometimes take multiple attempts to reach a helpful agent or to get your case escalated. Some agents may still direct you back to the form, please let them know you’ve exhausted that option and request further assistance.    
• Please note: The Chat support team only works at certain times, so if the last window says you are not available, try to open it again the next day. If you prefer phone support, you can leave a phone number. That way, they can contact you back and help you further  

Besides, you can contact Global Customer Service phone via Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support

For further details, you can also refer to Microsoft’s official guide: Account has been locked - Microsoft Support

Thanks for your precious time and understanding. Please feel free to let me know how it goes. I’m here to help as much as I can. Take care!  

Warm regards,  

Winnie

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PS: If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".    

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