No longer have phone to receive verification code so can't sign in

kurt kessler 20 Reputation points
2025-11-09T19:23:56.2333333+00:00

My wife has MS365 subscription, but no longer has phone to receive 2FA (?) verification code so can't finish signing in to change her number. It says she's signed in, but then asks for a code which was sent to a phone number she hasn't had in years. There are no options to use a secondary method like her recovery email - the only option is to enter the code that went to the old number or cancel. Tried MS and other help online, but none of the options are available to her - she's just stuck at the 'enter a code' screen. She tried using the email that came with the MS365 subscription (******@xxxxxxx.onmicrosoft.com) to sign in to MS the usual way, thinking that might be an alternative, but then MS says there's no such account (even though she has an active MS365 subscription and uses the apps frequently). How can she sign in?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For business | Other
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Answer accepted by question author
Tina L 12,435 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2025-11-11T13:30:36.4866667+00:00

Please understand that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to cover your organization domain name in the description. Please notice to hide these personal or organization information next time you post error or some information to protect personal data. 

Hello @kurt kessler,  

Thank you for responding.

For your situation, I hope you understand that as a forum moderator, I don't have access to the backend systems to access your account directly. However, I would like to guide you in the right direction.       

If your wife is the only admin in your organization, you need to take important steps to contact Microsoft Support directly to regain your admin account access. This includes two options:      

Option 1: Request MFA Reset via Microsoft Global Customer Service.     

Since you can't access the admin center, you can try contacting our global customer service by phone and requesting a reset of your authentication method here: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support 

User's imageDuring the call, ask to speak to an agent and provide them with all the details about your request. This will allow you to contact the relevant team to resolve the incident as quickly as possible.   

Here are some tips and an example of a prompt to help you use the IVR system more effectively:   

In some countries, it's an automated conversation like: When you call the hotline, you'll first be asked the following:   

IVR: What is the problem?   

You: Lost access to the administrator account due to MFA.    

IVR: What product do you use?   

You: Office 365 Business.   

IVR Confirmation: Education or Corporate Account   

You: For companies   

IVR: Are you an administrator?   

You: Yes.   

IVR: Is there another administrator in your organization?   

You: No.   

IVR: Do you need a service request?   

You: Yes. 

Note: Please try 2 or 3 times until you can reach out to an agent.

Option 2:  Create a New Tenant to Submit Support Request: (Recommended)       

1. Set up a new tenant (Trial subscription):    

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2. Access the Admin Console for new tenants to request privacy support for a previous tenant:     

  • Once you've signed up for the new Microsoft 365 trial and created the tenant, sign in to the: Microsoft 365 Admin Center with your new tenant's credentials.      
  • From there, you can create a support ticket by clicking on Support=> Help & Support.

For more information, you can infer this article: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn  

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  • In the ticket's description, you clearly state that you're trying to regain access to your previous tenant and want to be connected to the Data Protection team for assistance. You can infer this sample:      

"Hello,      

I am the only Global Administrator for my Microsoft 365 tenant. I am unable to access any Microsoft 365 admin portals because I am stuck at MFA; it keeps sending the code to a phone number I no longer use.

I created this new tenant to request assistance. I want to be connected to the Data Protection team to restore access to my original tenant.      

Here are some details about the previous tenant to confirm my identity:..."   


Note:

  • I strongly recommend providing as much relevant information as possible to confirm your ownership of the old tenant.  
  • Please remember to cancel the trial subscription as soon as your issue is resolved to avoid unintended costs.     

I understand this process may seem complicated, but unfortunately, when you're the only administrator of your Microsoft 365 tenant, this is the only secure method to regain your account.     

Finally, if you’ve already submitted a ticket, please share the ticket ID with me so I can check its status and keep you updated.   

Look forward to hearing from you!     

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  1. Tina L 12,435 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-11-10T11:35:17.4166667+00:00

    Hello @kurt kessler,  

    Thank you for reaching out to the Q&A forum! 

    I can see that you explain detail for your situation and to help me guide you the right direction, I’d like to confirm a few key points: 

    1.Did your wife purchase a Microsoft 365 Business subscription? 

    You mentioned the account has an another @onmicrosoft.com domain, which usually indicates a Business or Education subscription. Could you please confirm this? 

    2.What is the full email address of the account that’s having trouble with authentication? 

    Note: I’ll help blur or hide any personal information before analyzing it. 

    3.Is your wife the only admin of the Microsoft 365 tenant? 

    Authentication issues can be tricky and involve security protections, so I hope you understand why I need these details to help you effectively. 

    Looking forward to hearing from you. 


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

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