How can I delete a user assigned to a privileged role after deleting the admin Unit?

Question

I forgot and deleted an Admin Unit where a user was assigned a privileged role. I tried deleting that user but i failed due to not having administrative powers to do so. what can i do to delete the user?

Answer 1

Delete the user with a different account that has sufficient Microsoft Entra permissions.

• A signed-in account cannot delete itself. If the user being deleted is the same account currently signed in, sign in with another account.
• To delete users in Microsoft Entra ID, the account performing the action must have at least User Administrator. To delete users with higher privileges, Privileged Authentication Administrator can delete any users including other administrators.
• If the deleted administrative unit had role assignments, those role assignments should have been removed before deleting the administrative unit.

Recommended path:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center with another admin account.
2. Ensure that account has one of these roles:
   • User Administrator for supported user deletions
   • Privileged Authentication Administrator to delete users including other administrators
3. Go to Entra ID > Users.
4. Select the user.
5. Check Assigned roles and remove any direct role assignments if present by selecting the assignment and choosing Remove assignments.
   • If the role assignment is indirect, remove the user from the group that has been assigned the role.
6. Return to the user and select Delete user.

If the account used to delete the user does not have enough permissions, a higher-privileged administrator must perform the deletion or assign the required role first.

After deletion, the user appears under Deleted users for 30 days and can be restored during that time. Any licenses consumed by the user are made available for other users.

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References:

• How to create, invite, and delete users
• Troubleshoot Microsoft Entra roles assigned to groups
• Can I delete a user that has a license assign? - Microsoft Q&A
• Trying to delete user in Entra ID but it says Failed to Delete User. The principal performing this request cannot delete itself. - Microsoft Q&A
• Create or delete administrative units