Microsoft Security | Microsoft Entra | Microsoft Entra ID
A cloud-based identity and access management service for securing user authentication and resource access
Recover accounts on Authenticator - requires you to sign in - which REQUIRES your authenticator: WHAT IS THE POINT
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John Woodall
0
Reputation points
As this is Entra ID related - I thought this was the best category; I'm sure someone at MS will say it's in the wrong one, but have no better recommendation.
As the title says: When recovering accounts (which you don't even do anymore, it just happens when you restore your iPhone), you may have to sign in again, but you CAN'T, because you've had to restore your phone.
section:
Work or school accounts
- Only the account name is restored. When you restore, you will need to sign in again.
Well, that's impossible, because it requires MFA.
So please, Microsoft, tell me how end users are supposed to do this? What is the ACTUAL point?
This is why Apple is popular and Microsoft is despised - someone didn't think this through. End users cannot deal with this.
Microsoft Security | Microsoft Entra | Microsoft Entra ID
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Shubham Sharma 8,330 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator2025-12-05T14:02:31.6+00:00 Hello John Woodall
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 only:
- Contact phone number (add +Country code)
- Contact email address
- Global admin email address (affected account)
- Tenant Name
- Country
- Time Zone
- Tenant id/ Domain Name
- Subscription id
Please send me the detail via private message. So, we can assist you further.
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John Woodall 0 Reputation points
2025-12-05T14:06:25.7633333+00:00 This is not about me - or unblocking my access; I dont know where you got that impression. I'm asking for general instructions for end-users to easily follow to recover their Entra ID / MFA protected accounts kept in Microsoft Authenticator.
The instructions - as designed - do not accomplish anything.
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Shubham Sharma 8,330 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2025-12-29T17:41:26.6866667+00:00 John Woodall
I understand you’re pointing out is a real design gap that Microsoft often fails to explain properly to end users.
if there is another global administrator from your tenant, they can help you to reregister your MFA.
Admin has to perform below steps to reset your MFA so that you can re-register for authenticator app.
- Admin has to login to Azure portal and access Microsoft Entra ID.
- Once done they have to go to user's blade on the left.
- Click on the user account which is unable to login to Azure portal.
- Click on Authentication methods and click on “Require re-register multifactor authentication”.
- Now when you try to login to Azure, it will prompt you to register for MFA again.
If you are not aware of another global administrator or you are the only global admin in your tenant, please let us know. We will guide you further.
Thanks
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Shubham Sharma 8,330 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2025-12-31T11:16:40.97+00:00 John Woodall
Could you please provide an update on the post?
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