How to change my recovery email for Microsoft Authenticator

Question

I no longer have access to the recovery email listed on my Authenticator. I am stuck in a loop, and kicked out of my Microsoft account. Can I speak with someone to validate my identity, and help me reset my microsoft universe of accounts?

Answer 1

Hi David.

From your question, I could gather that you are locked out of your recovery email tied to your Microsoft account.

Microsoft Authenticator app is a tool for generating codes and approving sign-ins - it doesn't store or manage recovery emails. To change it, you need to update your security info in your Microsoft account settings.

Here's how you can do that:

1. Sign in to your Microsoft account
   • Go to account.microsoft.com.
   • Use your username and password. If you’re locked out, start with the “Can’t access your account?” option.
2. Navigate to Security Info
   • Once signed in, click on Security at the top.
   • Select Advanced security options.
   • Under Ways to prove who you are, you’ll see your recovery email listed.
3. Update or Add a New Recovery Email
   • Click Add a new way to sign in or verify.
   • Choose Email.
   • Enter your new email address.
   • Microsoft will send a verification code to that new email. Enter the code to confirm.
4. Remove the Old Recovery Email
   • Once the new email is verified, you can remove the old recovery email by selecting Remove next to it.

In case you have lost access to the old recovery email, you may follow these steps of account recovery:

Use the account recovery process:

• On the sign-in page, select Forgot password.
• Enter your Microsoft account email.
• Choose I don’t have any of these when asked about recovery options.
• Fill out the recovery form with as much detail as possible (recent passwords, billing info, etc.).
• Microsoft will review and, if successful, allow you to reset your security info.

Please note a few things here:

Recovery email changes may take 30 days to fully update if you've lost access to the old one. This is a security measure enforced to protect your account. During this period, you may still be asked for the old recovery info, but after 30 days, the new email becomes active. If you're locked out of multiple linked accounts (i.e. Microsoft universe of accounts), you'll need to repeat this process for each account.

Hope this helps!