Unable to acces my admin365 account - Authenticator issue

Question

Hi,

I am unable to access my Office 365 administrator account.

I recently changed my phone. To reconnect to my account, I am required to provide a Microsoft Authenticator code. However, I no longer have access to Microsoft Authenticator because signing in to the app itself also requires an authenticator code.

Microsoft Authenticator was my only configured MFA method, and unfortunately, I am the only administrator on this tenant.

Could you please help me recover access to my account?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

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Moved from: Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator

Answer 1

Dear @Jean-Simon Giguère,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A. 

I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble signing in after changing your phone. When you replace your device, Microsoft Authenticator does not automatically transfer MFA settings unless you previously enabled cloud backup and restored it on the new phone. 

Before we proceed, could you please confirm whether there is anyone else in your tenant who still has an administrator role? If yes, please reach out to them and ask them to help verify your MFA configuration or reset your authentication methods.

Please have your administrator follow the steps shown in the following article: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multi-factor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID … 

 

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. 

 

If you still cannot reach to agent, there is still a workaround, you might consider registering for a new tenant by signing up for a trial subscription via this link Compare All Microsoft 365 Plans | Microsoft. This would allow you to create a new tenant following the provided prompts. Once set up, you can access the admin console of the new tenant and submit a support ticket requesting to speak with the Data Protection team on behalf of your previous tenant.  

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

I hope this information helps point you in the right direction. If you run into any issues while trying the steps, or if something still doesn’t feel quite right, please don’t hesitate to reach out again. I’ll do my best to support you however I can.  

Looking forward to hearing back from you with any updates or additional details. 

Warm regards, 

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Answer 2

To regain access to your Office 365 administrator account without the Microsoft Authenticator app, you can follow these steps:

1. Contact Support: Since you are the only administrator and cannot access your account, the best course of action is to contact Microsoft support directly. Explain your situation and request assistance in resetting your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings.
2. Use a Break Glass Account: If you have a break glass account (a secondary admin account), you can use it to reset the MFA settings for your primary admin account. However, if that account is also requiring the Authenticator code, you will need to proceed with contacting support.
3. Alternative Verification Options: If you had set up any alternative methods for MFA (like phone numbers or email), try using those options to verify your identity.
4. Create a Trial Tenant: As a last resort, you can create a trial Microsoft 365 tenant. This will allow you to access the Admin Center and submit a support ticket requesting help from the Data Protection team regarding your original tenant.

These steps should help you recover access to your account. It may take some time, but Microsoft support should be able to assist you in resolving this issue.

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References:

• How Do I Regain Access to My Account After Losing Access to Microsoft Authenticator? (Urgent Request). - Microsoft Q&A
• I cant log in to my business account because it is requiring Authenticator app which I do not have - Microsoft Q&A

Answer 3

Provide Phone number for Microsoft Live suppoprt

Answer 4

The phone numbers for Microsoft are answering systems and you can't get connected to a Live attendant. Tried the recommended troubleshooting guidelines with no luck. Went to an outside Tech Support service called Outbyte and they sorted out the issues by remote operator and had me back up and running 100% in 20 minutes. Was not an easy fix (Microsoft has had issues with 365, Outlook and Teams for a number of days) but the service from Outbyte was fast and outstanding !! Would recommend them to anyone who has trouble getting Live Assistance from MicroSoft.