Lost access to Microsoft Authenticator after phone change — need help restoring account

Hello Ma,

If you've lost access to your Microsoft Authenticator app due to a phone reset and are unable to sign in, the recovery steps depend on the type of account you're trying to access—personal or work/school. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you regain access:

For Personal Microsoft Accounts (e.g., Outlook.com, Hotmail, Xbox)

1. Attempt Account Recovery

• Visit the Microsoft Account Recovery page.
• Enter your email address and click Next.
• Choose an alternative verification method, such as:
  • A recovery email address.
  • A phone number (SMS or call).
  • A recovery code (if previously saved).
• Follow the prompts to verify your identity.
  If you're unable to verify your identity using these methods, you can fill out the account recovery form with as much information as possible to prove ownership of the account.

2. Disable Two-Step Verification (If Possible)

Once you've regained access:

• Go to your Microsoft Account Security settings.
• Under Two-step verification, click Turn off to disable it temporarily.
• This will allow you to log in without needing a code from the Authenticator app.

3. Set Up Microsoft Authenticator on New Device

Download and install the Microsoft Authenticator app on your new phone.

Open the app and sign in to your Microsoft account.

Follow the prompts to set up two-step verification again.

• Save any recovery codes provided during setup in a secure location.

Best Regards,

Jerald Felix

Dear @Xuerong Ma , 

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Q&A Support. 

Following our review of your inquiry, we can confirm that this issue typically arises when the Microsoft Authenticator app was not backed up to the cloud prior to switching devices, or when the backup was associated with a different Microsoft account than the one currently in use. Since Microsoft Authenticator relies on cloud backup linked to your Microsoft account, recovery is not possible if the backup is unavailable or inaccessible. 

Even in cases where a backup was created, please note that restoring it will only recover the list of accounts previously configured in the Authenticator app. You will still be required to manually reconfigure the MFA process for each individual account. 

In addition, to regain access to the accounts that were protected by time-based one-time passwords (TOTP), we recommend the following: 

1. Contact the support team for each service or website (e.g., Google, Facebook, banking institutions) where two-factor authentication (2FA) was enabled. 
2. Follow their account recovery procedures, which typically involve verifying your identity and resetting multi-factor authentication (MFA) settings using alternative methods such as: 
   • Backup codes 
     • Recovery email addresses 
       • Registered phone numbers 

If you require assistance with a personal Microsoft account, please contact Microsoft Support via the following link:  🔗 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/home/contact?SourceApp=smc2&ContactUsExperienceEntryPointAssetId=S.HP.SMC-HOME 

For issues related to a business or organizational account, please reach out through your Microsoft 365 admin center or contact your organization's IT administrator for support. 

We understand that this process can be challenging, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding and we hope this helps clarify your situation and guides you toward regaining access to your accounts.    

Should you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out. 

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment". 

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.