account unauthorized

Question

My old windows accounts may be compromised I have Authenticator but account won’t let me in. No longer has pc. If any Mac address indicates a PC or android phone please block. Also my aunticator has my iPhone’s MAC address. Thank you

Answer 1

Hi Godric,

Thank you for posting this.

I understand your account authorization issue. To fix this, first quick check are you still able to access the Microsoft account recovery page on your iPhone because the correct path is to secure the account rather than blocking by MAC address since it does not allow device level MAC blocking for accounts and instead recommends forcing a password reset reviewing sign in activity removing unknown devices and re verifying Authenticator.

Please use the following links for additional guidance and reference:
Microsoft account security info & verification codes

Recover your account

If you found this information helpful, please select “Accept Answer” and consider giving it an upvote. If you have any follow‑up questions, feel free to use the “Comment” option.

Best regards,

Aldren B.

Answer 2

Follow these steps to deal with a possibly compromised Microsoft/Windows account when sign-in is blocked and Microsoft Authenticator is involved:

1. Run through the hacked/compromised-account process
   • Use the official guidance in How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account.
   • Follow these steps in order:
     1. On a clean device (for example, the current iPhone or another trusted device), run a full malware/virus scan if applicable (for Windows devices, use Windows Defender as described in the article) to ensure no active malware is stealing credentials.
     2. Go to the Microsoft account sign-in page and try to change the password using the normal sign-in flow.
     3. If sign-in is not possible, use the password reset flow and then the account recovery form as described in the article, providing as much detail as possible (old passwords, contacts, subject lines, etc.).
2. If the account is blocked due to unusual activity
   • Microsoft may have blocked sign-in because of unusual activity or sign-in from a new device/location.
   • On the sign-in screen, follow the instructions to receive a security code to the registered email/phone and enter it to unlock the account, as described in What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account.
   • If the usual email/phone is not accessible, sign in from a trusted device or usual location if any are still available.
3. If two-step verification / Authenticator is causing a block
   • If a “Try another verification method” or similar message appears, follow the guidance in Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account:
     • Try a different verification method associated with the account (alternate email, SMS, etc.).
     • Try another network (switch Wi‑Fi/cellular or use a different network) and avoid repeated attempts that can extend a temporary block.
     • Wait at least 24 hours if locked out due to too many attempts before trying again.
4. If the account was hacked and security info was changed
   • If a hacker has changed the security info (phone, email, Authenticator) and the recovery form fails, moderator guidance in the referenced Q&A states there is no other working method to recover a consumer Microsoft account.
   • In that case, the only options are:
     • Continue trying the account recovery form with the most accurate information possible, from a familiar device and location.
     • If recovery is ultimately denied, create a new Microsoft account and secure it strongly.
5. Secure devices and future sign-ins
   • After regaining access:
     • Immediately change the password to a strong, unique one.
     • Review and correct account settings such as connected accounts, forwarding, and automatic replies, as described in the hacked-account article.
     • Ensure Microsoft Authenticator is installed only on trusted devices (see Download Microsoft Authenticator) and that two-step verification is configured correctly.
     • Remove any devices or sessions that are not recognized from the account’s security settings (device-level MAC blocking is not exposed as a user control; instead, remove unrecognized sign-in methods/devices and change credentials).
6. Inform contacts and monitor for abuse
   • If the account was used for blackmail, spam, or other abuse (as in the similar Q&A cases), notify important contacts from a different, secure email address that the old account may be compromised and to ignore suspicious messages.
   • Continue monitoring any recovered account for unusual activity.

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References:

• How to recover a hacked or compromised Microsoft account
• What happens if there's an unusual sign-in to your account
• Download Microsoft Authenticator
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• My personal hotmail account hacked by hacker with authentication app enabled. - Microsoft Q&A
• my microsoft account has been compromised - Microsoft Q&A
• My account got hacked - Microsoft Q&A
• hello my email was (Moderator note: PII removed)@icloud.com and now its (Moderator note: PII removed)@jerkoffmail.com can please someone help me and the team change it my username in xbox is (Moderator note: PII removed) please help me team and change it - Microsoft Q&A
• Need help with hacked microsoft account - Microsoft Q&A
• Unblock my Outlook.com account