how resole authenticator issue

Question

The issue is that I removed the Microsoft Authenticator as a second factor from my admin account, and now I’m completely locked out.

When I try to sign in, it still asks for a verification code from the Authenticator app. I enter the 6-digit code, but it is always rejected.

I then deleted this account from the Authenticator app and tried to add it again, but I can’t complete the setup because I can’t sign in to my Microsoft account anymore.

So right now I’m stuck:

I cannot sign in to my admin account because it always asks for an Authenticator code that doesn’t work.

I cannot re-add the account to the Authenticator app because I can’t get past the sign-in step.

Could you please reset or remove the MFA/Authenticator requirement on my admin account so that I can sign in again and reconfigure my authentication methods?how reset mfa ?

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Moved from: Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator

Answer 1

To resolve the issue with your Microsoft Authenticator and regain access to your admin account, you will need to reset your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings. Since you're currently locked out and cannot sign in to your account, you will need assistance from another administrator or Microsoft support. Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Contact Another Administrator: If there is another administrator in your organization, ask them to log into the Azure portal and reset the MFA settings for your account. They can do this by navigating to Microsoft Entra ID > Users > selecting your user account > Authentication methods and then selecting Require re-register multifactor authentication.
2. Contact Microsoft Support: If you are the only administrator or cannot access another admin, you will need to contact Microsoft support directly. Explain your situation and request that they reset the MFA for your admin account.
3. Reconfigure MFA: Once the MFA requirement is reset, you should be able to sign in to your account without the Authenticator app. After signing in, you can reconfigure your authentication methods, including setting up the Authenticator app again.

It's important to have an alternative method of authentication set up to avoid being locked out in the future.

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References:

• Can't set up MFA because five devices are already registered to use an authenticator app
• Microsoft Authenticator issues

Answer 2

Hi @ran, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.         

Regarding that you can't log in to your admin account due to Microsoft Authenticator. I’d like to ask a quick questions to better understand your situation and assist you effectively:    

Do you have any other admin account?   

If you don't have any other admin account in this situation, the Microsoft Data Protection team has tools and processes in place to verify identity and regain access to administrator accounts.         

Please note that forum moderators have no control over user accounts, especially when it comes to logging in to your account, resetting your password, changing your access, etc.         

Therefore, If you are the only administrator in your organization,  then you need to involve Microsoft data protection team. Please try to find the related hotline number to call the frontline let them raise a ticket for you: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support   

In some countries, this is an automated conversation: First, when you call the hotline, they will ask you what kind of problem you are struggling with.    

Answer: Authenticator.    

A: What products do you use?    

B: Office 365 for business.    

Verification: Education or company account?    

B: For companies    

A: Are you an administrator?    

B: Yes.    

A: Are there any other administrators in your organization?    

B: No.    

A: I need one.... Service request?    

B: Yes    

     If your organization's Office 365 Business/Education subscription is from a partner or reseller, and the global administrator is unable to open a service request on your end, contact the reseller's support provider to help open a service request on behalf of you instead.    

    

Alternatively, you can try set up a new trial tenant and submit your support request:   

1. Visit the Microsoft 365 Enterprise Plans page: Go to Compare Office 365 Enterprise Pricing and Plans | Microsoft 365. 
2. Choose a plan and start a free trial: Select any of the available plans and click "Try for free" to begin the trial setup process.   
3. Follow the guided setup: Complete the steps to create a new Microsoft account and a new tenant. This will be a separate and independent Microsoft 365 environment.   
4. Access the Microsoft 365 Admin Center: Once the new tenant is created, navigate to https://admin.microsoft.com/.
5. Go to Support: In the left-hand navigation menu, click on "Support" and then "Help & support."   
6. Raise a support ticket: Describe your issue in detail. Crucially, you must clearly state that you are locked out of a different, pre-existing Microsoft 365 tenant where you are the administrator. Provide the following information about your locked account:    
   • Your administrator account email address for the locked tenant.   
   • The domain name of your locked tenant    
   • Any error messages you are receiving.   
   • Details about the authentication issues you are experiencing.   
   • Confirmation that you are the administrator of the locked tenant.   
7. Submit your ticket: Follow the prompts to submit your support request. You will likely receive a ticket number for tracking.   

Important notes:    

• This new trial tenant will not give you access to any of the data or settings in your original locked tenant. It is solely a temporary means to contact Microsoft support.   
• Be prepared for Microsoft support to ask for verification of your identity and administrative rights for the locked tenant.   
• The resolution time might be longer as you are contacting support from a different tenant.   
• Remember to cancel the trial subscription for the new tenant once your issue with the original account is resolved to avoid any unintended charges. You can typically do this within the Microsoft 365 Admin Center under "Billing" -> "Your products."   

I hope these steps will help resolve your issue. If you need further assistance, we are always here to help.     

    Thank you again for your time and understanding. While my initial response may not resolve the issue immediately, I’d like to gather more details about your situation so I can assist you more effectively.    

I really appreciate your patience, and I’m here to help. Looking forward to your response.   

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