Re add phone number support

Question

Why did you remove phone numbers as a authentication option, that has got to be the stupidest thing microsoft has ever done. There is nothing wrong with phone numbers, im not making another email for authentication, just for that one to ask for it.

Answer 1

I understand the frustration, especially if you’ve always used your phone number for authentication and don’t want to create another email address just for this.

Microsoft has been moving away from SMS/phone-number authentication in some account and security flows, largely because SMS is less secure than methods such as authenticator apps, passkeys, or email verification. However, the exact options available can depend on the type of Microsoft account and the particular sign-in/security process you're using.

If the phone-number option has disappeared from your account, check Microsoft Account → Security → Advanced security options to see which verification methods are currently available. If Microsoft has removed the option for your specific account, there may not be a way to manually restore SMS authentication.

If you tell us where you're being asked for authentication (Microsoft account sign-in, Windows setup, password reset, etc.), we may be able to suggest an alternative that doesn't require creating another email account.