No longer have my old phone to receive the verification code to log in. What do I do?

Wayne Martin 0 Reputation points
2026-10-13T20:13:57.7366667+00:00

I no longer have my old phone to receive the verification code to log in. What do I do?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For business | Windows
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  1. AI answer

    2026-10-13T20:14:13.3266667+00:00

    If this is a personal Microsoft account and the code is going to a phone that is no longer available:

    1. Start signing in to the account.
    2. At the Verify your identity prompt, select I don't have any of these.
    3. Follow the prompts to replace the old security info.
    4. If all security info is being replaced, there is a 30-day wait before sign-in is available again.

    If the password is also not known and there is no access to any security info, use the account recovery form after reviewing the guidance here: Help with the Microsoft account recovery form.

    If access still exists to at least one current sign-in or verification method, add a new method first:

    1. Sign in to Advanced security options.
    2. Select Add a new way to sign in or verify.
    3. Confirm the new phone number or email with the code sent there.
    4. Remove the old phone number afterward.

    Important: do not change all security info at the same time unless necessary, because the account may be restricted for 30 days.

    If this is a work or school account using Microsoft Authenticator or MFA and the old phone was lost, the MFA settings must be reset by:

    • another cloud services admin, or
    • the organization’s Help desk / IT admin

    After the reset, the account will be prompted to register new authentication methods again.

    Microsoft support agents cannot send verification codes or directly change account details for protection reasons.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Kai-Ex 1,745 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-10-14T00:21:23.6333333+00:00

    Hi Wayne Martin ,

    If this is personal account, please follow to the AI's answer.

    If this is a business/school account, please ask your administrator follow the steps shown in the following article: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multi-factor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID …

    User's image

    Please note that forum moderators have no control over user accounts, especially when it comes to logging in to your account, resetting your password, changing your access, etc.

    Therefore, if you are the only administrator in your organization, then you need to involve Microsoft data protection team. Please try to find the related hotline number to call the frontline let them raise a ticket for you: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support

    In some countries, this is an automated conversation: First, when you call the hotline, they will ask you what kind of problem you are struggling with.

    Answer: Authenticator.

    A: What products do you use?

    B: Office 365 for business.

    Verification: Education or company account?

    B: For companies

    A: Are you an administrator?

    B: Yes.

    A: Are there any other administrators in your organization?

    B: No.

    A: I need one.... Service request?

    B: Yes

    If your organization's Office 365 Business/Education subscription is from a partner or reseller, and the global administrator is unable to open a service request on your end, contact the reseller's support provider to help open a service request on behalf of you instead.

    If you still cannot reach to agent, there is still a workaround, you might consider registering for a new tenant by signing up for a trial subscription via this link Compare All Microsoft 365 Plans | Microsoft. This would allow you to create a new tenant following the provided prompts. Once set up, you can access the admin console of the new tenant and submit a support ticket requesting to speak with the Data Protection team on behalf of your previous tenant.

    Please remember to cancel the trial subscription once your issue is resolved to avoid any unintended charges.

    I understand that this entire process can feel long and complicated, and I truly appreciate your patience while working through it. These steps are in place to protect the security of your account, so I hope you can understand why they are required. I sincerely hope you’ll be able to regain access to your account soon. If you need help at any point, or if you have any questions during the process, please feel free to reach out, I’m always here and happy to assist.

    Thank you again for your understanding and patience.

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