I am owner of business and need to change admin on this account since no longer employed and cant contact

Question

Subject: Need admin access reset for HollowayCompany.com tenant (Power BI only) + add Microsoft 365 Business

Hello Microsoft Support,

I need help regaining administrative control of our Microsoft tenant for HollowayCompany.com.

Background:

• I have a personal Microsoft sign-in and a separate company sign-in for the HollowayCompany.com domain.

Currently, our HollowayCompany.com tenant is only set up with Power BI.

When I try to add Microsoft 365 Business, I discovered I am not the administrator for the tenant.

The listed administrator is a former employee who left several years ago, and we have no way to contact him.

Request:

Help us complete an admin takeover/reset so I ([Moderator note: personal info removed]) become the Global Administrator for the HollowayCompany.com tenant.

Confirm the tenant/domain setup is correct and secure (users, admin roles, billing ownership, recovery contacts, MFA, etc.).

Once admin access is restored, I need assistance purchasing and provisioning Microsoft 365 Business licenses for our company.

Because this involves account security and ownership verification, I need to speak with a support specialist by phone to ensure this is handled correctly.

Please let me know the fastest way to start the tenant recovery process and what documentation you need from me to verify ownership (domain verification, billing details, business verification, etc.).

Thank you, [Moderator note: personal info removed] 

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Moved from: Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator

Answer 1

Hello @ted Tidmore,

Thank you for providing the details. 

 

The quickest way to resolve this situation would be to check if you can reach the former employee who is currently listed as the Global Administrator. If they are able to sign in and transfer the Global Admin role to you, this can be done immediately in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and will save time. 

 

However, if contacting the former administrator is not possible, the next step is to work directly with Microsoft Support. For security reasons, only Microsoft can verify ownership and perform an admin reset when no Global Administrator is available. This process cannot be completed through self-service. Please try to find the related hotline number to call the frontline and let them raise a ticket for you: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support  

The support agent will then route your case to the appropriate Data Protection/Tenant Recovery team, which specializes in these scenarios. 

 

After your identity and ownership are confirmed, Microsoft will reset the admin access and assign you as the Global Administrator. From there, you can review security settings, add recovery contacts, and proceed with purchasing and assigning Microsoft 365 Business licenses for your users. 

 

Here are some tips and an example of a prompt to help you navigate the IVR more effectively:  

When you call the support number, you may hear an introduction of about 30 seconds such as "you can visit the link...". You can ignore this introduction and wait until you are presented with the options. Then press "1" as a business email user, and again "1" for technical help. 

 

If Support by Phone Is Unreachable:     

If you are unable to reach a support agent by phone, there is an alternative approach that can help you resolve your issue quickly. You can register for a trial subscription by signing up through this link: Compare All Microsoft 365 Plans | Microsoft.  

Please note that creating a trial tenant is completely free, so you will not incur any charges as long as you cancel the trial after your issue is resolved. 

Once your trial tenant is created and registered, log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. From there, select “Help & Support” and submit a support ticket. In your request, please mention that you need to speak with the Data Protection team on behalf of your previous tenant.
This method allows you to connect directly with a support agent through the admin portal and ensures that your request is handled promptly. 

Please remember to cancel the trial subscription once your issue is resolved to avoid any unintended charges.  

 

I understand this may feel like an extra step, but it is the most effective way to get assistance when direct phone support is unavailable. If you need any guidance during this process, feel free to reach out, I'm here to help.  

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Answer 2

To regain administrative control of your Microsoft tenant for HollowayCompany.com, you will need to perform an internal admin takeover. Since the current administrator is a former employee and you cannot contact them, follow these steps:

1. Verify Your Email Address: You will need to create a user account using the domain name of your organization to initiate the admin takeover process. This can be done by signing up for Power BI or another Microsoft service that allows you to create an account with your company domain.
2. Admin Takeover Process: Once you have created the account, you can use the admin takeover wizard to become the admin for the unmanaged domain account. This process is necessary because the existing account is unmanaged and lacks a global administrator.
3. Contact Support: Since this involves account security and ownership verification, you should reach out to Microsoft Support directly. You can find the appropriate contact number for your region at the Microsoft 365 admin support page. Explain your situation and request assistance with the admin takeover and any necessary documentation for verification (like domain verification, billing details, etc.).
4. Confirm Tenant Setup: After gaining admin access, ensure that the tenant/domain setup is correct and secure, including users, admin roles, billing ownership, recovery contacts, and MFA settings.
5. Purchase Microsoft 365 Business Licenses: Once you have restored admin access, you can proceed to purchase and provision Microsoft 365 Business licenses for your company.

For more detailed instructions on the admin takeover process and to ensure you are following the correct steps, refer to the Microsoft documentation on managing admin roles and account access problems.

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References:

• Troubleshoot sign-in issues and account access problems
• Internal admin takeover