problems to add another account since i changed from phones (the other one was lost and its unrecoverable)

Question

problems to add another account since i changed from phones (the other one was lost and its unrecoverable)

Carlos Torres Postigo 0

the issue is the following

im trying to add my institutional account to authenticator because now it uses it. however the main issue is that to enter to my mail, canvas, and so on it needs the authenticator app. so when i try to add the account [Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]@usil.pe it cant because it asks me to use a code from the authenticator assigned to that account. its the only institutional account and i cant believe you havent fixed this issue yet. could you please address my issue ? today i got an exam and now i cant enter because of how your app is made when changing phones.

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2 answers

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Answer 1

Hi Carlos,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble signing in to your institutional account.

From what you've described, it sounds like your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) setup may need to be reset. This can sometimes happen after switching to a new device, replacing a phone, or reinstalling the Microsoft Authenticator app. Since your new device hasn't been registered yet, the authentication requests may still be linked to your previous device, which can leave you stuck in a sign-in loop.

As this is a user-to-user support forum, I can only provide guidance based on experience and how similar cases are typically resolved. Unfortunately, I do not have access to your account and cannot make changes directly. Since your account is managed by you university, only your school's IT administrators have the necessary permissions to modify your security and MFA settings.

I’d recommend contacting your institution’s IT administrator and explaining that you changed phones and can no longer access the Microsoft Authenticator method previously registered to your institutional account.

You can ask your IT administrator to reset your MFA or remove your current Microsoft Authenticator registration so you can register it again.

You may also want to share the following Microsoft article with them: Manage authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication - Microsoft Entra ID | …

If you are unsure who your IT administrator is, you can refer to this official Microsoft guide for assistance: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support

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Once your IT administrator resets your MFA registration, you should be able to sign in again and go through the Microsoft Authenticator setup process from the beginning, including scanning a new QR code on your device.

I hope this points you in the right direction. If you receive any updates from your IT team or run into any issues along the way, feel free to reply back with more details and I'll be happy to help further.

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Answer 2

Your university’s IT help desk must reset your MFA registration unless Sign in another way offers a verification method you can still use.

Try an existing alternative first

Start signing in to the institutional account.
On the verification screen, select Sign in another way or I can’t use my Microsoft Authenticator app right now.
If offered, use a previously registered SMS/phone method, security key, passkey, or another Authenticator device.
After signing in, open Security info, add Authenticator on the new phone, test it, and then remove the lost device.

Microsoft recommends either signing in through another method or asking the organization’s help desk to clear the settings when a registered device is lost.^1^

If no alternative method works

Contact the university IT/help-desk team immediately and send this request:

I lost the phone registered for Microsoft Authenticator and have no usable alternative verification method. Please reset my MFA methods or require MFA re-registration for my institutional account so I can register Authenticator on my new phone. I need urgent access for an exam.

This cannot be fixed by reinstalling Authenticator or repeatedly adding the account. Work or school credentials are not transferred through Authenticator backup; only the account name is restored, and the account must be registered again.^2^

Give the following administrator procedure to the help desk:

Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Administrator.
Go to Entra ID → Users.
Select the affected student account.
Open Authentication methods.
Select Require re-register MFA.
If the phone was lost, also select Revoke sessions.

Require re-register MFA removes registered phone numbers, Microsoft Authenticator registrations, and software OATH tokens. At the next sign-in, the account is prompted to configure MFA again.^3^

The administrator may instead provide a Temporary Access Pass if that recovery method is enabled by the university, allowing the new phone to be registered without approval from the lost device.^4^

After IT completes the reset:

Sign in again with the institutional account.
Follow the prompt to configure Microsoft Authenticator.
In Authenticator, choose Add account → Work or school account → Scan QR code.
Complete the test approval.
Add a second authentication method if university policy permits it.

Microsoft forum staff and ordinary Microsoft customer support cannot directly change a university-managed account; its authentication methods are controlled by the institution. For today’s exam, contact the university help desk and the instructor/exam office in parallel so they can document the access problem or provide an academic contingency.

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