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Lost credentials for admin account

Simon Wurms - SBD Consultancy 0 Reputation points
2026-02-12T08:29:26.8666667+00:00

HI,

I have a small business account with Microsoft. My Authenticator stopt giving me codes. So I need to rest it. With my normal account I have no option of entering the "Security" part because it asked for MFA which does't work anymore. I figured out that I probably also have a admin account but I don't have the credentials for that. Also when I ask for: "inform your IT admin departement" and it has been informed I don't get an email and no one is contacting me. I guess the email address is not connected to my outlook. How to fix this.

In short:

MFA is not giving codes

I'm my own admin but have no access to to the admin account

Thank you for your help.

Simon

Moved from: Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For business | Other

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For business | Other
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  1. Alina-Le 6,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-02-12T10:30:48.59+00:00

    Hello @Simon Wurms - SBD Consultancy

    Welcome to Q&A forum!

    Thank you for reaching out. I would like to clarify how your Microsoft 365 admin access works, as this may help you resolve the MFA issue you are experiencing.

    If you purchased your Microsoft 365 Business subscription directly from Microsoft using your own credit card or PayPal without going through a partner then the account you used to make the purchase is automatically assigned as the Global Administrator for your tenant. This is the default behavior when a new Microsoft 365 Business environment is created.

    In other words, the account you used to buy the subscription is your admin account. During the initial setup, Microsoft automatically creates a Global Administrator profile for you. This account has the highest level of permissions and can access the Admin Center, manage billing, users, licenses, and change MFA configurations.

    As the Global Admin, you can reset your own MFA if you still remember the password but have lost access to your MFA method. To do this, please follow the steps below:

    1. Go to https://admin.microsoft.com
    2. Sign in using the same account you used to purchase the subscription
    3. Navigate to Users > Active Users
    4. Select your account
    5. Choose the option to reset MFA

    As you mentioned "inform your IT admin departement", if your account is managed by partner or reseller, I recommend you contact them for more help.

    If you bought directly from Microsoft and unable to access the Microsoft Admin Center, please let me know so i will try to support you again.

    If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

    Note: Please follow the steps in "our documentation" to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-02-12T08:29:39.09+00:00

    To regain access to your Microsoft admin account when you're unable to use the Microsoft Authenticator app and don't have the credentials for the admin account, you can follow these steps:

    1. Contact Microsoft Data Protection Support: Since you are the only administrator and cannot access the admin account, you should reach out to Microsoft support directly. You can find the customer service phone numbers for Microsoft Support and explain your situation. Be sure to mention that you are the only admin and are locked out of your account.
    2. Use the Automated Phone System: When you call, navigate through the automated system by selecting options related to authentication issues. For example, you might say you have a problem with the Authenticator app and confirm that you are a business user and the sole administrator.
    3. Create a Temporary Account: If you're unable to reach support, consider creating a new trial tenant. This will allow you to submit a support ticket regarding your locked account. You can sign up for a trial subscription and then access the admin console to raise a support request.
    4. Provide Necessary Information: When contacting support or submitting a ticket, provide all relevant details about your locked account, including your admin email address, the domain name, and any error messages you are receiving.
    5. Verification Process: Be prepared for Microsoft support to ask for verification of your identity and administrative rights for the locked tenant. This may involve some back and forth, but it is necessary to regain access.

    These steps should help you regain access to your admin account and reset your MFA methods.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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