Locked out of 360 admin account

Question

Both the phone number and authenticator associated with our 360 admin account is defunct. We've been unable to access the MS360 admin account and our subscription has now expired.

This has left us unable to directly access our emails, and the only way of signing into the admin account is with the authenticator app.

How do we get this sorted?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi @Tom Cl,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum, and I'm sorry to hear that you're locked out of your admin account.

This issue may occur when the admin account’s Multi‑Factor Authentication (MFA) settings are still associated with a phone number or Microsoft Authenticator app that is no longer accessible. Because Microsoft requires MFA verification before sign‑in, the verification request is sent to outdated methods, which can prevent completing the sign‑in process. In such cases, restoring access typically requires an MFA reset.

As part of the community support team, my access is limited and I cannot make changes to administrator-level settings. For security reasons, the options to recover access may vary depending on whether another administrator is available in the organization.

With that in mind, please follow the options below to regain access:

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Option 1: Contact other IT admins

Please check to see if there are other IT admins in your company who still have access and share with them the steps outlined in the article Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication. This will help them assist you in resetting your MFA settings and restoring access to the account.

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Option 2: Contact Microsoft Data Protection Support by phone

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

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 the Global Customer Service phone to raise a request for resetting your authentication method 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 and also mention that you are the only admin lost access to your account. 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, we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.

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 companies

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 directly to the Data Protection Team.

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Option 3: Create a new tenant to submit a support ticket (Alternative method)

If you cannot reach 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. 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 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."

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. 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.

If you find my post useful, kindly consider upvoting it. Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.

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Answer 2

If you are locked out of your Microsoft 365 admin account because both the phone number and authenticator app are no longer accessible, you will need to take the following steps:

1. Contact Microsoft Support: Since you are unable to access the admin account directly, the best course of action is to reach out to Microsoft Support. You can do this by calling their customer service hotline. Explain your situation clearly, mentioning that you are the only admin and that you cannot access the account due to the issues with the authenticator app.
2. Provide Verification: Be prepared to verify your identity and administrative rights. Microsoft has processes in place to help users regain access to their accounts, especially when they are the sole administrator.
3. Alternative Methods: If you cannot reach a live agent, consider creating a temporary account (trial tenant) to submit a support ticket. This involves signing up for a new Microsoft 365 trial subscription, which will allow you to access the admin console of the new tenant and submit a support request regarding your locked account.
4. Follow Up: Once you have submitted your request, keep track of any ticket numbers or correspondence with Microsoft Support to ensure your issue is being addressed.

These steps should help you regain access to your Microsoft 365 admin account.