New phone and Authenticator will not let me sign in!

Question

When I try to use my Authenticator app to login to a school Microsoft account, the application is not currently signed in since I got a new phone, and therefore won’t let me get access to a code. When I go to sign in it gives me a code to use.. which is not what I need. I need access to my account please. I go to sign in another way and it won’t let me do that either.

Answer 1

Hi Joy,

Sorry you're running into this issue.

From what you've described, it sounds like your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) setup may need to be reset. This can sometimes happen after switching to a new device, replacing a phone, or reinstalling the Microsoft Authenticator app. Since your new device hasn't been registered yet, the authentication requests may still be linked to your previous device, which can leave you stuck in a sign-in loop.

Because you're using a work or school account, the MFA settings are managed by your school's IT administrator. Unfortunately, this isn't something that can be reset from the user side.

I'd recommend reaching out to your school's IT administrator and explaining that you're unable to sign in because you're stuck in an MFA loop.

You can specifically ask whether they can:

• Reset your MFA settings
• Require MFA re-registration
• Remove your existing Authenticator registration so you can set it up again

You may also want to share the following Microsoft article with them: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID | …This process usually only takes a couple of minutes.

If you are unsure who your IT administrator is, you can refer to this official Microsoft guide for assistance: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support

Once this process is completed, all existing sign in sessions will be cleared. The next time you sign in, you will be prompted to set up Microsoft Authenticator again from the beginning, and verification codes should be delivered normally.

Please note that this is a user to user support forum, and I do not have access to administrative tools or permissions to reset or modify MFA settings on your account. Because your account is managed by your school, only an authorized Microsoft 365 administrator at your institution can make these changes. 

I hope this information helps point you in the right direction. If you receive any updates from your IT team or run into any issues along the way, feel free to reply back with more details and I'll be happy to help further.

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