i cant add a phone number

Question

i cant add a phone number

Jensen Love 0

i dont have the option to add a phone number to my account

0 comments

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Dio Xavier 297.2K Volunteer Moderator

Hello,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community.

Good afternoon. This scenario is expected, as Microsoft is gradually phasing out the feature that sends codes via SMS. The recommendation is to update your Microsoft account information, set up a secondary email, enable two-factor authentication, opt for "Passwordless login," and use the Microsoft Authenticator app for sign-in verification.

0 comments

Answer 2

The missing phone-number option is expected for some personal Microsoft accounts because Microsoft is phasing out SMS for authentication and account recovery; add a recovery email, Microsoft Authenticator, or a passkey instead.^1^

Add another security method

Open your Microsoft account’s Security tab.
Select Manage how I sign in.
Select Add a new way to sign in or verify.
Choose one of the available methods:
- Recovery email — use an address you can reliably access.
- Microsoft Authenticator — verification can work even when the device is offline.
- Passkey — signs you in using your face, fingerprint, or device PIN.
Complete the on-screen verification.

Microsoft specifically notes that Add a new phone number might not be available and that only these alternatives may appear.^2^

This is an account-side change, not a Windows 11 setting, so changing Windows security or privacy options will not restore the phone choice. Passkeys and verified email are Microsoft’s supported replacements for SMS; passkeys are also resistant to phishing and SIM-swap attacks.^1^

References