my email account is blocked and have made numerous attempts to unblock

Question

i am trying to recover my outlook email which has been blocked for too many attempts to recover.

i do not have a phone number whihc i can use linked to this account. we keep going round in circles i fill in form and it considers info then says not enough info

Answer 1

Hey there! Nice to meet you!

Since you do not have access to your verification method (your recovery phone number) for a password reset, I'm afraid the only way to recover/unblock the account is through the account recovery web form: https://account.live.com/acsr

Important: If you have an active 2FA, ACSR will inform you that this recovery request will be ignored. If you only receive a message that the recovery request is either successful or indicates insufficient information, this means that 2FA is disabled.

You will need to keep trying until you are verified by Microsoft, and you can do this up to 2 times every 24 hours.

If your Microsoft account recovery request was not granted, please review this link for tips on improving your chances of a successful recovery: https://support.microsoft.com/office/dc56c3e3-dff0-4ed5-8edb-60290eea6b53

Please be advised that Microsoft Support will not be able to grant you access to your account.

Lastly, since the account is blocked, if the account recovery request is successful and you can reset the password, your account may still be temporarily blocked.

If that happens, kindly perform these steps:

1. Perform a password reset/request an account recovery via Incognito/InPrivate window using different devices and network services.
2. If it doesn't work, wait exactly 48 hours to reset the password/request an account recovery.
3. If the issue persists, kindly wait exactly 1 week to request another account recovery. The idea is to wait for the account lock to expire first before you reset the password, as stated in this article: https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/troubleshooting-verification-code-issues-409090c4-92b5-42b9-8ae6-bcc97e62fc48#:~:text=If%20you%20received%20a%20Microsoft%20verification%20code%20that%20you%20did#:~:text=If%20you%20received%20a%20Microsoft%20verification%20code%20that%20you%20did

Important: Please make sure not to attempt to sign in or reset the password within that timeframe (48 hours or 1 week), as this may reset the lock cooldown.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Darhyl

Answer 2

The Outlook/Microsoft account is blocked because of too many failed or unusual sign-in/recovery attempts. Recovery is only possible through the automated tools; support agents cannot manually unlock or bypass security.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Wait out the lockout period

• Stop all sign-in, password reset, and recovery-form attempts for at least 24 hours.
• Multiple repeated attempts can reset the cooldown and keep the account blocked. Guidance in similar cases recommends waiting up to a week if 24 hours is not enough.

2. Use the Sign-in Helper instead of looping on the same path

• Go to the Sign-in Helper tool referenced in the articles (for sign-in issues and when you don’t recognize verification options). This tool is designed to diagnose the issue and route to the correct recovery flow.
• If two-step verification is not turned on and none of the verification email/phone options are recognized, the Sign-in Helper is explicitly recommended before the recovery form.

3. Unblock the Outlook.com account (if you can receive a code)

• If the account is specifically “temporarily blocked” for unusual activity, use the Unblock my Outlook.com account flow and follow the prompts to enter a security code and change the password.
• Any phone number that can receive SMS can be used for the unblock code; it does not have to be previously linked to the account. You can use a trusted friend’s or colleague’s number. The number is not stored and the code expires after 10 minutes.

4. Improve the Microsoft account recovery form submission If the Sign-in Helper routes back to the recovery form and the form keeps saying “not enough info,” the only option is to improve the data provided:

• Use a device and network commonly used to sign in to this account.
• Provide a working alternate email that can receive messages about the request (it can be any active email, even a friend’s; it is only used for this recovery case).
• Include as many details as possible that only the real owner would know, such as:
  • Old passwords used on the account.
  • Subject lines of recent emails sent.
  • Email addresses of frequent contacts.
  • Approximate dates of account creation or key activity.
• Submit the form once, then wait for the email response (usually within 24 hours) instead of resubmitting many times. Multiple submissions can slow processing.

5. If the account still cannot be recovered

• If two-step verification was enabled and none of the verification methods are accessible, recovery is not possible; support agents are not allowed to send reset links or change account details in that case.
• If the recovery form continues to fail, the automated system has not been able to confirm ownership. In that situation, the account cannot be restored and a new Outlook/Microsoft account will be required.

6. When access is restored

• Immediately review security info (emails, phone numbers) and remove anything not recognized.
• Turn on two-step verification and add multiple secure methods (email, phone, authenticator app) to avoid being locked out again.

For additional help options (self-help, support entry points, and community), use the Outlook.com support entry described in the “Still need help?” section if sign-in is possible. If sign-in is not possible, use the alternative contact link given there.

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References:

• Unblock my Outlook.com account
• How to sign in to Hotmail
• Microsoft account has been locked
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• My username and password have stopped working
• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• Can't send or receive email in Outlook.com
• Why can't I log in to my Outlook account? - Microsoft Q&A
• My Microsoft account is blocked. - Microsoft Q&A
• Locked out of my Outlook account and recovery options not working - Microsoft Q&A