Microsoft Authenticator is not syncing

Question

Dear Support Team,

I am facing multiple critical issues with the following Microsoft 365 account:

******@basmatiheritage.onmicrosoft.com

The main problems are:

• Login Issue: We are unable to sign in to the account.
• Authenticator Issue: Invoice-PBHF-NPO.pdf and shows that the account cannot be found.
• Account Access Issue: The email service is not working, and the account appears to be inaccessible.

Please note that the subscription is active, and the account was working normally until last month. These issues started recently and have now completely disrupted access.

This situation is seriously affecting our business operations. I kindly request your urgent support to resolve these issues as soon as possible.

Thank you for your immediate attention.

Best regards, Imran Sheikh

Answer 1

The described symptoms indicate a tenant/admin lockout and/or account lookup problem that cannot be fixed from the client side. Resolution requires Microsoft support and, specifically, the Microsoft Data Protection team.

Follow these steps in order:

1. Confirm basic Authenticator and connectivity checks (only if there is still some access on any device):
   • Ensure the latest Microsoft Authenticator version is installed and that App updates are turned on.
   • In Authenticator, go to Settings and:
     • Turn off battery optimization for the app.
     • Ensure Notification Settings → Show notifications is turned on.
   • Make sure the device has a working internet connection (try switching between Wi‑Fi and mobile data) and that Airplane mode is off.
   • Verify the device Date & time are correct and the OS and any security apps (Microsoft Defender, Intune Company Portal) are up to date.
   • If using a VPN, disconnect it and try again.
   If sign‑in still fails and the account “cannot be found” or MFA cannot be completed, proceed to step 2.
2. If there is another admin in the tenant
   • Ask another Global Admin to sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center and reset the affected user’s MFA:
     • Go to Users → All users → [select the affected user] → Authentication methods.
     • Use options such as Require re‑register multifactor authentication or remove existing Authenticator registrations so that MFA setup can be done fresh at next sign‑in.
   • After the reset, sign in again and reconfigure Microsoft Authenticator from scratch using the new QR code.
3. If there is NO other admin (sole admin locked out)
   • This is a tenant lockout scenario. Only Microsoft’s Data Protection team can restore access.
   • Call Microsoft’s global customer service and have a ticket raised to the Data Protection team:
     • Use the official phone list at Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support.
     • When navigating the IVR/agent, clearly state:
       • The problem is with Microsoft Authenticator / MFA.
       • The product is Office 365/Microsoft 365 for business.
       • The account is a company/organization account.
       • Confirm being an administrator and that there are no other admins.
       • Request to create a service request and escalate to the Data Protection team for tenant admin/MFA reset and account recovery.
   • Be prepared to provide:
     • The tenant domain (e.g. basmatiheritage.onmicrosoft.com).
     • The affected admin UPN.
     • Proof that the subscription is active and business documentation proving ownership.
4. Alternative path if phone support is hard to reach
   • Create a temporary trial tenant only as a channel to open a support ticket:
     • Sign up for a Microsoft 365 trial (business/enterprise) and complete tenant creation.
     • In the new tenant, go to the Microsoft 365 admin center → Support → Help & support.
     • Open a ticket explaining:
       • There is a different, existing tenant (basmatiheritage.onmicrosoft.com) where the only Global Admin is locked out due to MFA/Authenticator issues and account not found.
       • Request contact with the Data Protection team to verify identity and restore access to the original tenant.
   • After the original tenant issue is resolved, cancel the trial subscription in the temporary tenant to avoid charges.
5. If repeated sign‑in attempts have been made
   • Microsoft Entra MFA may temporarily block sign‑in after many failed attempts.
   • Wait before trying again or use a different MFA method if any is configured.
   • If malicious activity is suspected, ask the admin (once access is restored) to review Microsoft Entra sign‑in logs.

Because the account is reported as not found and email is not working despite an active subscription, only Microsoft support (via the Data Protection process) can investigate tenant/account state and restore access.

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References:

• Troubleshoot problems with Microsoft Authenticator
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• I have a Micrsoft business account and I am the admin and the only user registered under this account. I can't log in because i have replaced my phone and the authenticator doesn't work. - Microsoft Q&A
• Severity A Situation - Locked out of global admin account (MFA) - business down - Microsoft Q&A
• Requesting a Tenant Admin MFA Reset - Microsoft Q&A
• Microsoft Authenticator app doesn't show 6-digit OTP code - Microsoft Q&A
• Microsoft authenticator sending me into a spiral - Microsoft Q&A