Need help resetting Authenticator app on my Android device

Question

I'm in the US Navy and recently got back from a deployment. These deployments require us to factory reset our devices, and now my authenticator app refuses to recognize my phone as a trusted device. I can use a recovery email to sign in to my personal email, however I need authenticator to access my Navy Flankspeed email from home or while I'm TAD and using my laptop for work tasks. The only option I receive is to wait 30 days for all my security data to be reset, but I don't have the time to wait an entire month for this to happen due to frequent operational requirements. Getting into contact with ANY customer service rep has been a challenge to say the least, and any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi Will,  

I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble logging into your Microsoft account.   

Changing to a new phone or reinstalling the Microsoft Authenticator app can often cause this issue because your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings may need to be reset. When you switch devices or reinstall the app, the new installation is not automatically configured for authentication. Since the app is still tied to your previous device, you’re unable to receive authentication codes on the new one, which is why you can’t access your account right now. 

Since you are using a work email address, the MFA settings are managed by your organization's  IT department. For assistance with resetting or updating your MFA, you will need to contact them directly to resolve this.   

Please contact your organization's IT Help Desk or support team and explain the situation. You can say: "I am stuck in a login loop between Microsoft Teams and the Microsoft Authenticator app. I cannot get the code to sign in."   

Specifically ask them to “Reset my MFA settings or allow me to re-register for MFA". This is a standard request, and your organization's IT team should be able to assist you with it.    

You can also share the steps in this Microsoft article for them so they can help reset your MFA settings for you Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication.  

Once your organization's in has reset your MFA, the next time you log in to your account, you will be guided through the process of setting up the Microsoft Authenticator app again from the beginning by scanning a QR code. This will break the loop and allow you to access your account normally.   

Please note that forum advisors do not have access to user account settings and cannot assist with logging in, resetting passwords, or changing access rights.

I hope this helps you regain access to your account quickly. I'm glad to assist and truly hope the information provided has been useful. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance.  

If you find my post helpful, kindly consider marking it as "Yes". Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.  

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum. 

---

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.