I lost my device and I have lost access to my authenticator. Help!

Jazmin Wills 0 Reputation points
2026-10-08T01:52:16.4266667+00:00

I need access to my authenticator for work - I work for a health district.

I don't know how to recover this as I have lost my old device and when I log in and it states my account isn't verified, please verify, and to choose the number on the authenticator app - which I can't get into without verifying - very frustrating.

Shows Error Code "Error 500121" if that is helpful! Please help!

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator
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  1. EmilyS_726 30,455 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-10-08T03:14:46.3666667+00:00

    Hello,

    Microsoft does not directly manage organization users. Instead, each organization's IT administrator is responsible for managing its users according to its internal protocols.

    You should contact your organization's IT support team. They need to reset your MFA for you in order for this to work. Once the reset is completed, follow these steps:

    1. Open your web browser and navigate to https://login.microsoftonline.com.
    2. Sign in to your account.
    3. You will be prompted to set up MFA again. Make sure to update your phone number during this process.

    If your organization's IT administrator requires guidance, they can follow these steps:

    1. Sign in to the Microsoft Admin Center at https://admin.microsoft.com using their credentials.
    2. Navigate to Users > Active Users in the left-hand menu.
    3. Select the relevant user.
    4. On the user card that appears on the right, scroll to the bottom and click Manage multifactor authentication.
    5. On the MFA settings page, locate the user's name, select it, and click Manage user settings on the right.
    6. In the pop-up box, check the first box and click Save.

    This process will reset MFA for the user, allowing them to set it up again.

    Was this answer helpful?

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