my email and mobile numbers have changed. when i do online verification the process fails and says insufficient information provided and account locked and cant change details

Question

my email and mobile numbers have changed. when i do online verification the process fails and says insufficient information provided and account locked and cant change details. i dont use that email for many years and also cant move forward trying to register new products or updates etc due to this old email and telephone not being used anymore and cant update on system

Answer 1

Hey there! Nice to meet you!

Since you do not have access to your verification methods for a password reset, 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 your 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'll need to keep trying until you're verified by Microsoft, and you can do this up to 2 times every 24 hours.

If you didn't receive the results from the account recovery webform, please try submitting another request via Incognito/InPrivate window and using different devices and network services. Then please check your email inbox, junk, and spam folders.

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 assist you with manual recovery, unblock, and escalation for this case, as stated in this article, that they are not permitted to send password resets, access, or even change any details on the account:

https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/help-with-the-microsoft-account-recovery-form-b19c02d1-a782-dee6-93c3-dc8113b20c42

Lastly, you mentioned that you didn't use this email for many years. If you haven't signed in to your account for more than two years, I'm afraid your account may have already been deleted/closed due to inactivity.

As stated by Microsoft, accounts that have not been signed in or have been locked for more than two years will be deleted due to inactivity, and they can no longer be recovered: https://support.microsoft.com/topic/microsoft-account-activity-policy-7c0a9fa7-0982-b7c6-fd72-df852b63699f

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Darhyl

Answer 2

Because both the old email and phone are no longer accessible and online verification is failing, the account is hitting Microsoft’s automated security limits and getting temporarily locked. When that happens, self-service recovery and changing security details are blocked until either:

• The lockout period expires and another recovery attempt can be made, or
• The account is recovered or reset through the supported escalation paths.

For personal Microsoft accounts (consumer Outlook/Hotmail/Live):

1. Stop repeated attempts for a while
   • Multiple failed verification attempts or repeated code requests cause temporary blocks and “insufficient information” errors. Wait for the lockout period (typically about 24 hours) before trying again, and avoid repeated submissions during that time.
2. Use only existing security info
   • Verification codes can only be sent to:
     • The primary alias, or
     • Another email/phone already added as a way to verify sign-in.
   • If none of the listed email/phone options are accessible, self-service recovery may not succeed.
3. Check for verification emails
   • Verification emails come from @accountprotection.microsoft.com. Check junk/spam folders and mark this sender as trusted.
4. After successful sign-in, update aliases and phone
   • Go to https://account.live.com/names/manage and under Your info choose Add email or Add phone number, then remove outdated ones so future verification uses current details.

For work or school (Microsoft 365 business/education) accounts:

1. If another admin exists in the organization
   • Ask a global admin to:
     • Reset MFA methods or require re-register MFA so new methods (new phone/email) can be configured.
     • Confirm or update security info on the account.
2. If the locked account is the only admin
   • The Microsoft Data Protection team must assist with regaining access to the tenant. This requires opening a support request via Microsoft Support (for example, by calling the regional support hotline or via another tenant as described in the referenced guidance). They will verify identity and help restore access.

General verification-code troubleshooting that may be affecting attempts:

• Do not make excessive or repetitive code requests to different emails/phones; this can trigger blocks.
• Ensure the phone number is a mobile number, not VOIP, and that SMS from unknown numbers are not blocked.
• If using SMS, confirm the inbox is not full and the messaging app is working properly.
• Be aware that heavy compromised traffic from a region can delay or block code delivery temporarily; this resolves automatically after some time.

Once access is restored and sign-in is successful, immediately:

• Add a current email and mobile number as security info.
• Remove the old, unused email and phone so future verification and product registration use the updated contact details.

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References:

• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• Change the email address or phone number for your Microsoft account
• Use a screen reader to set up and troubleshoot multifactor authentication
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