Authenticator App

Select Sign in another way, I can’t use my Microsoft Authenticator app right now, or Show more verification options on the verification screen, then use any previously registered phone, email, security key, or recovery code.

If this is a work or school account

If no alternative method appears, contact your organization’s IT help desk or Microsoft 365 administrator. Ask them to:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center as at least an Authentication Administrator.
2. Go to Entra ID → Users.
3. Select your user account, then Authentication methods.
4. Select Require re-register MFA.
5. Select Revoke sessions.
6. Have you sign in again and register Authenticator from scratch.

Require re-register MFA removes the existing Authenticator and other MFA registrations; Revoke sessions forces a fresh authentication attempt.^1^

If you are the only administrator and cannot access another administrator account, the reset cannot be performed from the locked account. Contact Microsoft support for tenant recovery assistance.

If this is a personal Microsoft account

If you know the password but have lost access to every security method:

1. Begin signing in to your Microsoft account.
2. At Verify your identity, select I don’t have any of these.
3. Follow the prompts to replace your security information.
4. After all security information is replaced, Microsoft applies a 30-day waiting period before sign-in is restored.^2^

If two-step verification was enabled and no alternative verification method or recovery code is available, the account recovery form cannot bypass it, and support agents cannot manually send a code or change the account details.^3^

If Authenticator backup was enabled

Backup recovery may restore eligible one-time codes:

• Android: Sign out of Authenticator first, then select Restore from backup or Begin recovery and sign in with the personal Microsoft account used for backup.
• iPhone: Restore through the same iCloud account and device type used for backup.

Work or school credentials and passwordless credentials are not restored—only the account name is restored, so those accounts must still be registered again. Backups also cannot be restored between iOS and Android.^4^

After access is restored, add at least two additional sign-in methods so losing Authenticator does not cause another lockout.^5^

References

1. Manage user authentication methods for Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication
2. Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues | Microsoft Support
3. Help with the Microsoft account recovery form | Microsoft Support
4. [iOS](https://support.microsoft.com/authenticator/restore-account-credentials-from-microsoft-authenticator#unable-to-restore-authenticator-account-credentials)
5. Sign in to your work or school account using two-step verification | Microsoft Support