how can i recover my onmicrosoft account if i lost my device

dickies treasury 0 Reputation points
2026-03-11T02:32:18.1133333+00:00

I Have my email and password but i lost my phone with the authenticator, so can't sign in to cancel the plan for this account.

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

    2026-03-11T02:32:41.29+00:00

    Because the phone with Microsoft Authenticator is lost, recovery depends on whether any other sign-in or verification methods are still available on the account.

    1. Try other sign-in methods
      • If the account has other methods configured (SMS, email code, security key, Windows Hello, etc.), use those instead of the Authenticator prompt when signing in.
      • For a passwordless Microsoft account, any of the configured methods can still be used. If access to the Authenticator app is only temporarily lost, another method can be used to sign in and manage security settings.
    2. Remove the lost Authenticator as a sign-in method (if another method works)
      • Sign in to the Microsoft account dashboard using another available method.
      • Go to Security > Advanced security options.
      • Under Ways to prove who you are, find the entry that corresponds to the lost device (for example, Send sign-in notification with the old device name) and select Remove.
      • If the account was passwordless and a password is needed again, go to Passwordless account and select Turn off, then follow the prompts to add a password back.
    3. If Authenticator backup exists and a new phone is available
      • Install Microsoft Authenticator on the new device.
      • On Android, open Authenticator and select Restore from backup or Begin recovery before signing in. If already signed in, sign out first using the guidance in How to sign out from Authenticator.
      • Sign in with the same personal Microsoft account used for Authenticator backup. Accounts will be restored:
        • Microsoft personal accounts: OTP codes restore; passwordless sign-in requires signing in again.
        • Work or school accounts: only the account name is restored; sign-in is required again.
        • Third-party OTP accounts: codes restore.
    4. If unable to restore Authenticator and no other methods work
      • If the backup account for Authenticator cannot be accessed, support cannot restore Authenticator credentials. Use the Microsoft account sign-in helper to try to regain access to the backup Microsoft account: Sign-in helper.
      • If two-step verification is enabled and none of the alternate methods (phone, email, Authenticator, etc.) are accessible, account recovery is limited. Support agents are not allowed to send verification codes or bypass security.
    5. If the account cannot be recovered
      • If no sign-in method works and the account cannot be recovered using the sign-in helper or recovery form, the subscription or plan tied to that account cannot be managed or cancelled from outside the account. In that case, the only supported path is to continue attempting account recovery using the official tools.

    References:

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  2. Liora D 18,955 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-03-11T09:07:22.4466667+00:00

    Dear @dickies treasury,

    I hope you’re having a good day.

    Thank you for posting your question and for explaining your situation. From what you described, I understand that you still have your email address and password for the onmicrosoft.com account, but you lost the phone that had Microsoft Authenticator installed. Because of this, you’re unable to complete sign‑in and need access in order to cancel the subscription.

    This behavior is expected when multi‑factor authentication (MFA) is enabled on the account. Even if the username and password are correct, sign‑in cannot be completed without the second verification step from Microsoft Authenticator. If the device that was registered for MFA is lost and no alternative verification methods are available, the account becomes temporarily inaccessible. The Authenticator app cannot approve sign‑in unless it has already been registered for the account, and MFA cannot be bypassed from the forum side.

    If there is another administrator in the tenant who still has access, that admin can reset or clear the MFA methods on your account so you can sign in again and re‑register Microsoft Authenticator.

    Your administrator can follow the guidance in the following article: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multi-factor authentication

    User's image

    Please also note that this forum is a user-to-user support space. Forum moderators do not have access to user accounts and are unable to reset passwords, change authentication methods, or intervene in sign-in issues.

    If you are the only admin (or no one else has access), you’ll need to contact Microsoft Support and request assistance from the Data Protection team. After verifying your identity and ownership of the tenant or subscription, they can help reset MFA or restore access so you can manage or cancel the plan.

    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 subscription is from a partner or reseller, 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. 

    Warm regards, 

    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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