Reset MFA on my account

Question

Reset MFA on my account

Kestutis N 20

I am administrator of the tenant. I lost Microsoft Authenticator app and MFA. I am able to change password, but I can’t reset MFA. I can’t login and create a support ticket in Microsoft 365 admin center. I was calling to Business support phone, but it requires to enter 8-digit extension which I don’t know. I need to reset MFA on my account.

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5 answers

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Answer 1

Hi Emily,

Thank you for your clarification.

Before I create a new tenant, could you please help me understand one point?

I had exactly the same situation earlier this year, in March 2026. At that time, I was also the only Global Administrator, I had lost access to Microsoft Authenticator after an iPhone factory reset, and I was unable to sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

However, on that occasion, I did not need to create a new tenant. A Microsoft Support representative contacted me directly by phone, verified my identity, and helped me restore access to my existing tenant.

Could you please explain why the recovery process is different now? Has the Microsoft support procedure for this type of Global Administrator lockout changed since March 2026, or is there still a way to initiate the same recovery process without creating a new tenant?

If there is any way to have my case routed directly to the appropriate Microsoft Support or Data Protection team, as happened previously, I would strongly prefer that option.

Thank you for your help.

Answer 2

Kestutis N 20

I am the only Global Administrator. I lost MFA access after an iPhone factory reset. I need to create a service request and be connected to the Data Protection Team.

Emily T 565 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-06T18:59:22.93+00:00
Hello Kestutis N
I’m very sorry that you’re having to go through this challenging situation. I can imagine how difficult it is when you are the only Global Administrator and have lost access to your MFA. I truly wish I could do more to help you directly, but my role here is limited.
At this point, you’ll need to create a support ticket through a new tenant so that your case can be reviewed and routed to the appropriate team for further assistance.
When submitting the support request from the new tenant, I recommend including the relevant information about your original tenant in the description of your ticket. This will give the support team the necessary context and can help make the ownership verification and case review process smoother.

You may include the following details:

Tenant domain (xxxxx.onmicrosoft.com)

Tenant ID

Global Administrator UPN

Subscription and billing information

Evidence of domain ownership

Company information and any other relevant ownership verification documents

For your security, please provide sensitive or confidential information only through the appropriate private support channel when requested, and do not post it here in this public forum.
Once your issue has been resolved, please remember to cancel the trial subscription if you no longer need it to avoid any unintended charges. For detailed instructions on how to cancel the subscription, please refer to the following resource: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn

Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this process.
I sincerely hope you’re able to regain access to your account soon and that everything goes smoothly from here.

Answer 3

Kestutis N 20

Thank you for your detailed response.

I can confirm that there is no other Global Administrator in the tenant who can reset MFA for my account. Therefore, I need assistance from the Microsoft Data Protection team.

I have already tried calling Microsoft Business Support in Lithuania. However, the automated system asks me to enter an 8-digit extension number, which I do not have, and I have not been able to reach a support agent.

I would also like to mention that I had exactly the same issue earlier this year. The problem started after an iPhone factory reset, which caused me to lose access to the Microsoft Authenticator configuration. At that time, one of your Microsoft Support colleagues called me directly, verified my identity, and helped me restore access successfully.

My current situation is essentially the same: after another iPhone factory reset, I lost access to Microsoft Authenticator and can no longer complete MFA for my administrator account.

Could you please advise whether there is a direct way to open a case with the Data Protection team or a private channel where I can provide my tenant, administrator account and billing verification details?

As this is a public forum, I do not want to publish any account, tenant or billing information here.

Thank you.

Emily T 565 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-06T17:43:35.5+00:00

Hi Kestutis N,
Thank you for providing the additional details.

Since this is a public forum, you are absolutely right not to share any sensitive information here, including your tenant details, administrator account information, billing information, or any other personally identifiable information.
I wish I could assist you directly with resolving this issue, especially given the difficulty you have already experienced trying to regain access. Unfortunately, my role in this user-to-user support forum is limited to providing general guidance based on similar cases. I do not have access to your tenant or account and therefore cannot verify your information or make changes on your behalf. For this type of Global Administrator or MFA recovery issue, Microsoft Support would need to review your case and advise you on the available recovery options.

As you have been unable to reach a live support agent using the phone number you tried, another option you may consider is creating a new tenant by signing up for a trial subscription. Once the new tenant is set up, you can submit a support request from there and explain that you are locked out of the administrator account in your original tenant, with no other Global Administrator available to reset your MFA.

After the issue has been resolved, please remember to cancel the trial subscription to help avoid any unintended charges.

I understand this adds an extra step, particularly since you were previously able to receive direct assistance. However, this approach may provide another way to initiate a support request without posting sensitive account or billing information in this public forum.

Thank you for your understanding, and I hope you are able to regain access to your account as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Please note that forum moderators do not have access to user account settings and cannot assist with logging in, resetting passwords, or changing access rights. While we do not have access to internal systems or administrative tools required to resolve account-specific or backend-related issues, but we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.

Hi @Kestutis N

I’m truly sorry to hear that you’re currently unable to sign in.

Please check whether there is another IT administrator in your organization who can assist you with resetting the MFA settings for your account. If another administrator is available, you can share the steps outlined in the following article with them: Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication. This will help them assist you in resetting your MFA settings and restoring access to your account.

Once the MFA settings have been reset, the next time you sign in, you should be prompted to set up the Microsoft Authenticator app again. You can then complete the registration process from the beginning, including scanning a new QR code. This should help resolve the authentication loop and allow you to access your account normally.

However, if your account is an administrator account and there are no other Global Administrators available in your tenant to assist with the MFA reset, you will need to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance. In this case, please locate the appropriate support phone number for your region here: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support

(When you call the support number, you may hear an introduction of about 30 seconds such as "you can visit the link...". You can ignore this introduction and wait until you are presented with the options. Then press "1" as a business email user, and again "1" for technical help.)

IVR: What kind of problem are you concerned about?

You: Authenticator.

A: What products do you use?

You: Office 365 for business.

Verification: Education or company account?

You: For companies

IVR: Are you an administrator?

You: Yes.

IVR: Are there any other administrators in your organization?

You: No.

IVR: Do you need a... Service request?

You: Yes. I need to create a ticket. Please send me directly to the Data Protection Team.

Create a new tenant to submit a support ticket:

If you are unable to reach a live support agent, as an alternative, you may consider creating a new tenant by signing up for a trial subscription. Once the new tenant is set up, you can use it to submit a support request for further assistance.

To set up a new tenant, please follow these steps below:

Visit Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365. This would allow you to create a new tenant following the prompts provided. 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.

Follow the guided setup process to create a new account for a new tenant.

Once your tenant is created, you should be able to access the support portal and submit your ticket referencing your locked account without further issues

In your ticket description, you'll need to clearly explain that you're trying to regain access to your previous Microsoft 365 tenant and need help from the Data Protection team. Here's a message you can use or adapt:

"Hello, I’m currently unable to access my previous Microsoft 365 tenant due to losing MFA access.

I created this new tenant solely to request assistance. I kindly ask to be connected with the Data Protection team to verify my identity and help me recover access to the original tenant.

This is urgent, as I rely on Microsoft 365 for my work and have been unable to operate for several days. I’m available to provide any documentation or verification needed to support the recovery process."

Ticket Support: In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Support > Help & Support. You can raise support ticket at https://admin.microsoft.com/#/support/requests

Please remember to cancel the trial subscription after your issue is resolved, as this will help you avoid any accidental billing. You may prefer the following resource for detailed instructions: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn

I hope this helps you regain access to your account quickly. I'm glad to assist and truly hope the information provided has been useful. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance.