Microsoft 365 and Authenticator - Stuck in a Loop

Question

When I changed my mobile phone I tried to add the Microsoft 365 account to Microsoft Authenticator, but every time Authenticator asks for a 6 digit code from Authenticator. I cant provide one because I dont have the account on Authenticator on my new phone yet. I try to log in to the Microsoft 365 account, it asks for the code from Authenticator and because its not on the new phone app I cant confirm a code. It gives the option to try another method by the other method is a code from Authenticator. I have tried calling Microsoft Support, get AI assistance which is no help whatsover. Whats the solution? How do I get out of this loop? How do I add the account to Authenticator without being asked for a code from Authenticator.

Answer 1

Hello @Garry Orr, 

Thanks for your response.

If you’re still having trouble using frontline support, you can create a new trial tenant and submit your support request from there. 

• Visit the Microsoft 365 Enterprise Plans page: Go to  Compare Office 365 Enterprise Pricing and Plans | Microsoft 365. 
• 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.    
  • 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.   
• Access the Microsoft 365 Admin Center: Once the new tenant is created, navigate to https://admin.microsoft.com/.   
• Go to Support:  
  • After clicking on "Help & Support" button like this image, you can type "I need help". After that, you can click on "Contact support"  
  • Choose contact method: "Phone" or "Email"  
• 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.   
  
• Finally, clicking on "Contact me".  

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." 

If you need any further assistance, please feel free to let me know.

Answer 2

Hello @Garry Orr, 

Thank you for posting your valuable question on Microsoft Q&A forum.   

I'm very sorry for the inconvenience you’ve experienced, based on the details you shared. May I ask if you have any alternative method to sign-in besides Authenticator? If yes, please try sign-in using this alternative method. 

If you don't have any alternative sign-in method, could you please confirm that you are the end-user or the IT admin of your organization? 

If you are the end-user, I would recommend you contact your organization account's Admin to reset your MFA settings through the Microsoft Entra Admin Center. If you haven’t yet reached out, here’s a helpful guide to locate your Microsoft 365 administrator: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support  

Ask your administrator to follow these steps:    

• Go to Microsoft Entra Admin Center: https://entra.microsoft.com  
• Navigate to Users > All Users.  
• Select your user account.  
• Go to Authentication Methods.  
• Click "Require re-register multifactor authentication".  

This will reset your MFA settings. The next time you sign in, you’ll be prompted to set up the Authenticator app again using a QR code.  

If you're an IT admin, please check to see if there are other IT admins in your organization who can help you with the reset. 

If you are the only administrator in your organization, this request cannot be handled through the Microsoft Q&A forum due to security and privacy limitations. In this case, you will need to contact the Microsoft Data Protection team, as they are the only group authorized and equipped with the necessary tools and verification procedures to confirm your identity and restore administrator access. 

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 

Please carefully follow this instruction to ask for Microsoft Data Protection team support:   

Depending on your country or region. For some countries, when calling the support number, although there are about 30 seconds opening as something "you can visit the link...." But you can ignore this opening and wait until the option, then "1" as a business email user, "1" again for technical help.   

For some countries, it will be an automated conversation like:    

First, when you call the hotline, it asks what kind of problem you are worried about.   

Answered: authenticator.   

A: What kind of product are you using?   

B: Office 365 for business.   

A confirmation: education or company account?   

B: For companies   

A: Are you an administrator?   

B: Yes.   

A: Do you have the other admin in your organization?   

B: No.   

A: You 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.   

Please understand 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.   

I hope you can successfully revoke your access. If you encounter any difficulties in contacting the frontline support, please feel free to let me know. Thank you and I wish you a great day!  

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Answer 3

To resolve the issue of being stuck in a loop with Microsoft Authenticator after changing your mobile phone, you can try the following steps:

1. Alternative Sign-In Method: If you have other sign-in methods set up (like SMS or email), try using those to log in to your Microsoft 365 account. If those options are not available or also require a code from Authenticator, proceed to the next steps.
2. Contact Microsoft Support: Since you mentioned that calling Microsoft Support has been unhelpful, ensure you are reaching out to the correct department. If you are the only administrator on your account, you may need to contact the Microsoft Data Protection team directly. When you call, explain that you are locked out due to not having access to the Authenticator app on your new phone.
3. Reset MFA Settings: If you are the sole Global Administrator, you can request a reset of your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings. This will allow you to set up the Authenticator app again. You can do this by contacting Microsoft support and asking them to escalate your request to the Data Protection team.
4. Create a Temporary Account: As a last resort, you can create a new trial tenant to submit a support ticket. This would allow you to access the admin console of the new tenant and request assistance regarding your locked account.

Following these steps should help you regain access to your Microsoft 365 account and set up the Authenticator app on your new phone without being stuck in the verification loop.

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References:

• How Do I Regain Access to My Account After Losing Access to Microsoft Authenticator? (Urgent Request).
• Microsoft authenticator sending me into a spiral - Microsoft Q&A
• Requesting a Tenant Admin MFA Reset - Microsoft Q&A