Lost access to MFA phone

Copper Contributor

Hi, I have an Outlook.com account to which I can login, see emails and all the configuration... My problem is that the phone listed in my security info is no longer available and Im trying to change the phone# but is asking me to verify (MFA) with an SMS to that same phone# (which I no longer have). 
Can you please tell me if there is a way of changing the security info bypassing the initial MFA? Or maybe some other way of "recovering" my account since I cannot login to other services due to the MFA requirement. 

1 Reply

Hi @VMBCCloud,

To update your phone number for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in Outlook.com, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to the Microsoft 365 portal at office.com.
  2. Click on your profile avatar in the top right corner and select "View account."
  3. Navigate to "Security info" and choose "Update info."
  4. Opt to "Update your phone numbers used for account security." Select your preferred verification method and ensure the correct country code and phone number are entered. Click "Save."
  5. To add a new phone number, click "Add Phone Number," input the new number, and click "Next." A verification code will be sent to your phone. Enter the code once received to confirm the new number.

Change your two-step verification method and settings - Microsoft Support
if you have MFA enabled and you want to change security settings (infos) in your Office Account, it is hard to do thatg without passing MFA.

To recover your Microsoft account, you can follow these steps:

- Go to account recovery. Konto wiederherstellen (live.com)
- Enter the account you want to recover, an email address you have access to, and enter the CAPTCHA and select Next.
- Enter the code sent via the email you provided and select Verify.
- Enter your account recovery information and select Next.
- If approved, you’ll get a link to reset your password

Please note that the account recovery form works by asking questions about your account that only you could answer. Then, Microsoft reviews your answers and responds within 24 hours with either instructions to get back into your account or a denial.

it’s important to note that when you have MFA enabled, the recovery process might be a bit more complex due to the additional security measures.

If you’re unable to verify your identity using the existing methods, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance. 

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Kindest regards,


Leon Pavesic
(LinkedIn)