School Account Unable to Log-in

Question

Hello!

I recently obtained a new phone since my old one broke and now I can't log-in nor receive any notifications pertaining to approving sign-in requests under my school account ([Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed] @mymail.mapua.edu.ph). Is there any way an admin can unlink my old phone so I can use my new one to log-in and approve sign-in requests?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Dear @Shaun Alina,

I hope you’re having a good day. 

I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble signing in after changing your phone. When you replace your device, Microsoft Authenticator does not automatically transfer MFA settings unless you previously enabled cloud backup and restored it on the new phone. 

If you're using a school account, please note that MFA settings are typically managed by your organization's IT administrator. In this case, I recommend contacting your admin to verify your MFA configuration or reset your authentication methods.   

Your administrator can follow the guidance in the following article: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multi-factor authentication

If you’re unsure who your administrator is, this article may help: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin?

I hope this information helps point you in the right direction.

Warm regards,  

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Answer 2

Yes. For a school account, the Microsoft Authenticator sign-in method is typically managed by the organization’s IT administrator. The effective path is:

1. At sign-in, check for Try another verification method or Other ways to sign in.
2. If another method is available, use it to get into the account.
3. After sign-in, go to the Security info page and add the new device or another sign-in method: https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info
4. Select Add sign-in method and choose a method supported by the organization.
5. If no other method is available, contact the school IT help desk or Microsoft 365 admin and ask them to reset MFA / authentication methods so the new phone can be registered.

If repeated sign-in attempts were already made, stop retrying continuously. Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication can temporarily block additional attempts after unusual or repeated sign-ins. In that case, wait until sign-in is allowed again, or use a different MFA method if one is available.

It is also recommended to keep multiple sign-in methods on the account. Microsoft recommends having three different sign-in methods associated with the account so losing a phone does not block access.

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References:

• Sign in to your work or school account using two-step verification
• Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
• Unable to access school account - Microsoft Q&A
• authenticator app issue after changing to a new phone - Microsoft Q&A
• Authenticator app login - Microsoft Q&A