Microsoft Authenticator - Unable to recover 'your backup is not stored with this email'

Question

Microsoft Authenticator - Unable to recover 'your backup is not stored with this email'

Ben Stein 61

I've recently factory reset my phone (OnePlus 5T) and am now unable to recover my backup.

Before resetting my phone, I made sure that cloud backup was enabled and I'm sure the recovery account was assigned to my primary email account.

However, upon attempting to recover my cloud backup, I am shown an 'Unable to recover' error. It says that my 'backup is not stored with my.email@harsh.com .com. Try signing in to a different personal Microsoft account.'

There is only one other possible personal account it could be and I have tried this, yet I am still shown the same error as above.

I have made sure the account I'm recovering doesn't already exist in the Microsoft Authenticator app

I have:

Contacted support on this and they have suggested posting in this forum.
Already tried to find a solution in a similar thread but have been unable to.
Reinstalled the app and restarted my phone, multiple times.
Reset my account passwords multiple times.

Would appreciate any support that can be provided, thanks.

Threads with the same issue:

i-have-lost-my-backup.html

c3bd6e1d-2927-4c11-bf81-9aa7b1e49bb6

unable-to-recover-from-backup-from-iphone-to-ipad.html

Kreston 31 Reputation points

2022-08-07T23:28:20.387+00:00

I also have this problem. Support has not given me anyone who understands enough to help me out. I am locked out of so many account because of this issue. Frustrating.
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Ben Stein 61 Reputation points

2022-12-16T18:12:10.63+00:00

Glad to know I'm not the only one experiencing this issue. Unfortunately, I am still experiencing the problem and have not found any solution yet!
Timschle 16 Reputation points

2022-12-25T07:59:38.937+00:00

I have the same issue. Is there an other workaround possible, to transfer the data to the new phone?

Thank you :)
Fabio 21 Reputation points

2023-01-03T01:00:54.893+00:00

Same issue. Only reason why I used Microsoft and not Google Authenticator, but recovery is not even working. I have like 10 accounts with 2FA.
Jake Aslam 0 Reputation points

2023-01-12T01:11:12.15+00:00

Me too, this is killing me. C'mon MS, please sort it.
Sairam Gudiputi 5 Reputation points

2023-02-25T06:08:25.29+00:00

I am bumping this issue after i factory reset, how many times i uninstalled and reopen or clear it, still i am facing same issue. Hope someone will give suggestion.
Kumarpal Shah 5 Reputation points

2023-09-09T18:21:18.9366667+00:00

Facing the same issue. I also confirmed before resetting that the backup is enabled and all accounts were added. Now, Microsoft Authenticator is saying no backup is not stored.

Microsoft Authenticator is a ridiculous and highly unreliable app. Just lost access to all accounts and now I'll have to add each manually.

A year old problem but no solution available yet.
Emily Vincent 5 Reputation points

2023-10-07T12:22:21.4633333+00:00

Same here. Using a OnePlus 6. Due to issues with the phone I needed to do a recovery mode cache reset. This effectively wiped everything. I now cannot access my authenticator app and says that there's no backup on the account. This is literally the only email that is possible. I can't believe that there's an issue with an app that locks you out of everything and no solution. And flabbergasted. What the l am I supposed to now?
Ben Maslen 0 Reputation points

2024-01-14T22:50:55.2333333+00:00

Bumping this issue... Tried everything and no luck, very frustrating!!
Martin 11 Reputation points

2024-03-13T17:06:35.3133333+00:00

Bumping this. Just lost access to like 20 accounts because of this. If this doesn't sort itself out, then that is it for my MS account, I will delete everything including my subscriptions. This is utterly unacceptable.
Or Farkash 0 Reputation points

2024-04-14T22:34:25.41+00:00

I had the same problem - what solved it was changing the account to be the same email the android device used. If the android device uses a different email than the one you use to backup the authenticator you will fail with this error.

I hope it helps
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Taras Martchenko 0 Reputation points

2024-09-11T16:42:59.7333333+00:00

Bump. App literally lies :(

Still an issue.

Lots of time to be wasted as I stumble into one place after another that I need to re-do MFA setup on in the coming weeks.
Elena 0 Reputation points

2024-10-07T16:18:45.66+00:00

Tried turning backup on and off - didn't work for me. The email I use for iCloud is not the same as the Microsoft one and it won't let me change it. It tells me my backup is under the Microsoft email, but obviously it isn't and I cannot restore it. Microsoft support has been abysmally unhelpful.
Megami T 10 Reputation points

2024-11-06T19:43:15.7133333+00:00

Bump. I see this has been a 2 year problem. What's going on Microsoft? If you're going to standby a product, you should make sure it's running properly.

I have set up my authenticator on iPhone 8. iCloud backup is on, and recovery account is correct. I now try to set it up in my Fire Tablet 10 (Android), it won't recover from backup. I even tried the turning on and off from the original authenticator, but it still won't. What's amusing is that it's asking me if the account is in my said email. Where is it getting THAT info? But it can't pull up the recovery account from it?

As mentioned by someone else, I'll change authenticators at this point.

4 answers

Your answer

Kreston 31 Reputation points

2022-08-07T23:28:20.387+00:00

I also have this problem. Support has not given me anyone who understands enough to help me out. I am locked out of so many account because of this issue. Frustrating.
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Ben Stein 61 Reputation points

2022-12-16T18:12:10.63+00:00

Glad to know I'm not the only one experiencing this issue. Unfortunately, I am still experiencing the problem and have not found any solution yet!
Timschle 16 Reputation points

2022-12-25T07:59:38.937+00:00

I have the same issue. Is there an other workaround possible, to transfer the data to the new phone?

Thank you :)
Fabio 21 Reputation points

2023-01-03T01:00:54.893+00:00

Same issue. Only reason why I used Microsoft and not Google Authenticator, but recovery is not even working. I have like 10 accounts with 2FA.
Jake Aslam 0 Reputation points

2023-01-12T01:11:12.15+00:00

Me too, this is killing me. C'mon MS, please sort it.
Sairam Gudiputi 5 Reputation points

2023-02-25T06:08:25.29+00:00

I am bumping this issue after i factory reset, how many times i uninstalled and reopen or clear it, still i am facing same issue. Hope someone will give suggestion.
Kumarpal Shah 5 Reputation points

2023-09-09T18:21:18.9366667+00:00

Facing the same issue. I also confirmed before resetting that the backup is enabled and all accounts were added. Now, Microsoft Authenticator is saying no backup is not stored.

Microsoft Authenticator is a ridiculous and highly unreliable app. Just lost access to all accounts and now I'll have to add each manually.

A year old problem but no solution available yet.
Emily Vincent 5 Reputation points

2023-10-07T12:22:21.4633333+00:00

Same here. Using a OnePlus 6. Due to issues with the phone I needed to do a recovery mode cache reset. This effectively wiped everything. I now cannot access my authenticator app and says that there's no backup on the account. This is literally the only email that is possible. I can't believe that there's an issue with an app that locks you out of everything and no solution. And flabbergasted. What the l am I supposed to now?
Ben Maslen 0 Reputation points

2024-01-14T22:50:55.2333333+00:00

Bumping this issue... Tried everything and no luck, very frustrating!!
Martin 11 Reputation points

2024-03-13T17:06:35.3133333+00:00

Bumping this. Just lost access to like 20 accounts because of this. If this doesn't sort itself out, then that is it for my MS account, I will delete everything including my subscriptions. This is utterly unacceptable.
Or Farkash 0 Reputation points

2024-04-14T22:34:25.41+00:00

I had the same problem - what solved it was changing the account to be the same email the android device used. If the android device uses a different email than the one you use to backup the authenticator you will fail with this error.

I hope it helps
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Taras Martchenko 0 Reputation points

2024-09-11T16:42:59.7333333+00:00

Bump. App literally lies :(

Still an issue.

Lots of time to be wasted as I stumble into one place after another that I need to re-do MFA setup on in the coming weeks.
Elena 0 Reputation points

2024-10-07T16:18:45.66+00:00

Tried turning backup on and off - didn't work for me. The email I use for iCloud is not the same as the Microsoft one and it won't let me change it. It tells me my backup is under the Microsoft email, but obviously it isn't and I cannot restore it. Microsoft support has been abysmally unhelpful.
Megami T 10 Reputation points

2024-11-06T19:43:15.7133333+00:00

Bump. I see this has been a 2 year problem. What's going on Microsoft? If you're going to standby a product, you should make sure it's running properly.

I have set up my authenticator on iPhone 8. iCloud backup is on, and recovery account is correct. I now try to set it up in my Fire Tablet 10 (Android), it won't recover from backup. I even tried the turning on and off from the original authenticator, but it still won't. What's amusing is that it's asking me if the account is in my said email. Where is it getting THAT info? But it can't pull up the recovery account from it?

As mentioned by someone else, I'll change authenticators at this point.

Answer 1

Arif IT-Pro 55

Hello,

I had the same issue. On old phone I opened Authenticator app then I went into Settings > Clould Back up and turned it off once and then turned it on back.

Signed into Authenticator app on the new phone with my recovery account and voila now it showed all the accounts, ofc some of them you have to re-verify.

Hope this helps! :)

Jean-Denis Gingras 0 Reputation points

2023-08-03T19:34:46.11+00:00

This worked for me! A 1000 thanks.
Antonio Vilar Rivas 0 Reputation points

2023-09-23T08:04:28.9833333+00:00

Worked for me too! Thanks
Shang Chen 0 Reputation points

2023-10-01T16:25:59.9266667+00:00

Works for me.

It's now Oct 2023. Can't believe such an obvious bug still exists.
Ben Maslen 0 Reputation points

2024-01-14T22:50:14.5233333+00:00

Tried this and didn't work for me sadly...
M Sharp 0 Reputation points

2024-01-22T23:02:33.2766667+00:00

Wow! This worked! Thanks for sharing.
Reza Taba 0 Reputation points

2024-10-09T09:36:31.66+00:00

Although this worked for me I'm afraid if the old phone is lost or broken. Then the backup is useless and we lose our accounts. I'm gonna find another app.
Mark Smith 0 Reputation points

2024-12-16T16:52:16.74+00:00

Wish I would have seen this when I had to replace a Pixel phone. Now that I upgraded to the newest Pixel phone, I saw it in time to get transferred the first time. Don't worry about deleted the cloud backup on the old phone. As soon as you flip it back on it creates a new one and shows you the account to use on the new phone. THANK YOU, ARIF!

Answer 2

Jeff Ryer 10

I had the same issue and fortunately still have my old phone and was able to turn backup off and back on with the old phone to restore to the new phone. But if I didn't have my old phone then what? It seems the backup was set up but not actually working!? Microsoft needs to fix this!

Answer 3

Justin Griep 41

For anyone else having this extremely frustrating issue, I tried turning off backup on the old phone. Then turning it back on and selecting the same email address as before and then the recovery worked. I noticed the last backup was over 6 months ago by the app. Makes me wonder if there isn't a retention issue with the cloud storage.

Answer 4

Bayman09 0

I had the same problem, Android to android, however I still had access to my old phone and accounnt, I turned off and on clooud yet it till didn't work. But when I removed an account that "needed action" and then turned off and on cloud save, it worked. I also needed to select a number from the old phone and a pin to verify the transfer. I recommend keeping the old phone if possible when trying to transfer the saves.

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Microsoft Authenticator - Unable to recover 'your backup is not stored with this email'

4 answers

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