Need help logging into Authenticator and outlook

Question

I can’t login to my account because it says I need a verification code but I can’t access that because my outlook and Authenticator app both need a code

Answer 1

Dear @Martinez Joshua, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum, and I’m sorry to hear you're having trouble accessing your school account due to the Microsoft Authenticator app.  

To better assist you, could you please clarify the following:   

• Have you previously set up the Microsoft Authenticator app on any device for this account, or is this your first time trying to sign in?     
• If so, are you currently using the same device where you originally registered for the Authenticator app? Have you recently switched to a new device?  

This will help us better understand the context and provide more targeted support. Any additional information will help us better understand and support you.     

Since you haven’t mentioned whether you’re the sole IT admin or an end user in your organization, here are a few workarounds you can try:  

Option 1: Use another registered verification method  

If you or your IT admin previously added SMS, phone call, or a backup method, you should see “Sign in with another method” on the login screen.   

Selecting this will show other methods linked to your account. For instance, you might see options such as “Text” or “Call” or “Email”, if those were configured. Choose one of those and check for a code via SMS or email.   

If you receive the code on your phone via SMS or via email, enter it to complete the sign-in. Once you are in your account (perhaps via the web on a computer), you can then update your security verification settings and re-add the Authenticator properly.  

However, if your account was set to use only the Authenticator app with no backup methods configured, then alternative options will not be available. In this case, your school’s IT department manages your MFA settings and will need to assist directly.  

Option 2: Contact your IT admin  

Please contact your organization's IT Help Desk or support team and explain the situation. You can say: "I am stuck in a login loop with the Microsoft Authenticator app. I cannot get the code to sign in."    

Specifically ask them to “Reset my MFA settings or allow me to re-register for MFA". This is a standard request, and your organization's IT team should be able to assist you with it.    

You can also share the steps in this Microsoft article for them so they can help reset your MFA settings for you Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication.  

Once your organization resets your MFA, the next time you log in to your account, you will be guided through the process of setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app again from the beginning by scanning a QR code. This will break the loop and allow you to access your account normally.   

Option 3: If you are the only admin and can’t get into your account 

• If you're the only admin, in this situation, the Microsoft Data Protection Team has tools and processes in place to verify identity and regain access to administrator accounts. You can try reaching out to our Global Customer Service phone to raise a request for resetting your authentication method here: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support.   

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

IVR: What kind of problem are you concerned about?         

You: Authenticator.         

A: What products do you use?   

B: Office 365 for business.   

Verification: Education or company account?   

B: For education.   

A: Are you an administrator?  

B: Yes.   

A: Are there any other administrators in your organization?   

B: No.   

IVR: Do you need a... Service request?      

You: Yes. I need to create a ticket. Please send me direct to the Data Protection Team. 

 

• As an alternative, you can create a new tenant account and submit your request from there.      

To set up a new tenant, please follow these steps: 

Visit  Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365. 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.       

Follow the guided setup process to create a new account for a new tenant.   

Once your tenant is created, you should be able to access the support portal and submit your ticket referencing your locked account without further issues 

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 MFA access, which prevents me from receiving verification codes. I’m the global admin, but I’m locked out and unable to generate a QR code or bypass MFA.   

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."   

Ticket Support: In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Support > Help & Support. You can raise support ticket at https://admin.microsoft.com/#/support/requests     

Please remember to cancel the trial subscription after your issue is resolved, as this will help you avoid any accidental billing. You may prefer the following resource for detailed instructions: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn 

Please note that forum moderators do not have access to user account settings and cannot assist with logging in 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.        

I hope this helps you regain access to your account quickly. I'm glad to assist and truly hope the information provided has been useful. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance.   

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

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Answer 2

To regain access to your account when both your Outlook and Authenticator app require a verification code, you can try the following steps:

1. Alternative Sign-In Method: If you have any alternative sign-in methods set up (like a recovery email or phone number), try using those to log in.
2. Contact Admin: If you are part of an organization, contact your account's administrator. They can reset your multi-factor authentication (MFA) settings, allowing you to set up the Authenticator app again. They can do this through the Microsoft Entra Admin Center by selecting your user account and requiring re-registration of MFA.
3. Microsoft Support: If you are the only administrator and cannot access your account, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for assistance. They have processes in place to verify your identity and help you regain access to your account.
4. Recovery Options: If you have set up recovery options, such as a phone number or another email, ensure that you are entering them correctly. Sometimes, entering the full phone number instead of just the last digits can resolve issues with receiving codes.

These steps should help you regain access to your account. If you need further assistance, please let me know!