two step verification method going to an old phone

Question

I'm trying to get into the main business microsoft acct that has the credit card info. that acct is tied to an employee's phone number that is no longer employed here. that is the only verification method it keeps defaulting to. So I can't get into the main business account. Everytime I try to fill out a recovery form etc or any other way it just keeps going to the same verification phone number that I dont have. Can anyone help?? I've looked at all possible resources, including checking with our IT guy etc. We are basically held hostage by this acct phone number. Why in the world is there not a customer service phone number for microsoft?

Answer 1

Hi @Box Office,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum and thank you for reaching out regarding your issue with accessing the main business account.

The issue may be occurring because the account’s MFA is tied to a phone number that is no longer accessible. Since MFA must be completed before a user can sign in, the authentication method might need to be reset and reconfigured to a new device or phone number before access can be restored.

To help me assist you more effectively, could you confirm whether your IT staff member holds administrative rights? This clarification may help determine whether the required password or MFA resets can be handled internally before considering other alternatives.

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If your IT employee does have access to the Microsoft 365 admin center and Entra Admin center (i.e., holds administrative rights), they may be able to assist by resetting the password for this account, clearing its MFA settings, and then handing the account back to you. This would allow you to re‑register the MFA method on your own device and sign in normally. You may share the following resources with them to guide the process:

• To reset the account's password: Reset passwords - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn
• To reset the MFA settings: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID | Microsoft Learn

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However, if your main business account is the only account in the tenant that holds administrative rights, then internal recovery may not be possible. In this situation, the appropriate next step would be to open a support ticket with Microsoft Support in order to reach the Data Protection Team.

To open a support ticket, you can try the options below:

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Option 1: Contact Microsoft Data Protection Support by phone

(Please proceed with the second option if contacting phone support is not applicable to your situation)

You can try reaching out to Global Customer Service phone to raise a request here: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support. During the call, request to speak to an agent, and share with them every detail related to your query. This should allow you to contact the appropriate team so you can solve this incident as soon as possible.

Please note that forum moderators do not have access to user account settings and cannot assist with logging in, resetting passwords, or changing access rights. While we do not have access to internal systems or administrative tools required to resolve account-specific or backend-related issues but we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.

You’ll need to verify your ownership of the Microsoft 365 tenant with Microsoft’s Data Protection Team. This verification process typically requires providing the following documentation:

• Proof of domain ownership, such as access to manage DNS records
• Billing or subscription information, including payment methods or account history
• The Tenant ID of the affected Microsoft 365 organization
• Official business registration documents
• Documentation confirming you are an authorized signatory for the business

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Option 2: Create a new tenant to submit a support ticket (Alternative method)

If you still cannot reach to a live agent, there is still a workaround, you might consider registering for a new tenant by signing up for a trial subscription via this link Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365. (Please select "Try for free" under a subscription)

This would allow you to create a new tenant following the prompts provided. 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.

To create a support ticket: In the Microsoft 365 admin center > Help & Support.

In your ticket description, you'll need to clearly explain that you're trying to regain access to your previous Microsoft 365 tenant and need help from the Data Protection team. Here's a message you can use or adapt:

"Hello, I’m currently unable to access my previous Microsoft 365 tenant due to losing contact to the sole admin who left our company.

I created this new tenant solely to request assistance. I kindly ask to be connected with the Data Protection team to verify my identity and help me recover access to the original tenant.

This is urgent, as I rely on Microsoft 365 for my work and have been unable to operate for several days. I’m available to provide any documentation or verification needed to support the recovery process."

It is important to note: Please remember to cancel the trial subscription once your issue is resolved to avoid any unintended charges. You may prefer the following resource for detailed instructions: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn.

I hope this helps you regain access to your account quickly. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance.

If you find my post useful, and as other users will also search information in this community, your valuable vote up will definitely also help other users who have similar queries easily to find the correct channel and useful information more quickly.

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.

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Answer 2

To regain access to your Microsoft business account when the two-step verification method is tied to an old employee's phone number, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Use the Recovery Form: Go to the official recovery form at https://account.live.com/acsr. Select the option for "I forgot my password" and enter your email address. Follow the prompts provided. If you are unable to access the verification method, you can select "I don’t have any of these" and fill out the form with as much accurate information as possible, such as recent email subjects, folder names, and contacts you’ve emailed.
2. Contact Microsoft Support: If the recovery options do not work, you can contact Microsoft Support for further assistance. You can find support options at https://support.microsoft.com/contactus. Choose "Microsoft account & billing" and then "Password reset or account recovery." Depending on your region, you may be offered chat support or a callback option.
3. Involve the Microsoft Data Protection Team: Since you mentioned that you are the only admin, you may need to involve the Microsoft Data Protection team. They have tools to verify identity and regain access to administrator accounts. You can find customer service phone numbers for Microsoft Support to raise a ticket for your issue.

Please note that two-step verification cannot be turned off unless you are signed in first. If you have lost access to all recovery methods, completing the recovery form is essential, and you may need to wait for Microsoft to verify your identity.

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References:

• Can't sign in to my email - Microsoft Q&A
• I have a Microsoft business account and I am the admin - Microsoft Q&A