Microsoft Authenticator is asking me to authenticate using Microsoft Authenticator to use Microsoft Authenticator

Desperately frustrated with this.

Adding this account to a new pc after HDD failure. Logs in to the account okay but wont let me change the security options without MS authenticator.

This account has never had or used authenticator for anything, and it has been added automatically at some point by MS as 2FA option. Nothing to do with us.

On trying to install MS authenticator it just loops, asking for authentication from authenticator. I cant access security options, I cant install authenticator and I cant speak to anyone at MS as the initial call to the UK help numbers to you to use online help which has no answers. Subsequent calls just auto redirect you to use online help.

So, cant view security, cant install authenticator, cant speak to anyone at MS to get help.

Great job whichever genius thought of adding this as a default 2FA. (that was sarcasm)

Desperately frustrated with this.

Adding this account to a new pc after HDD failure. Logs in to the account okay but wont let me change the security options without MS authenticator.

This account has never had or used authenticator for anything, and it has been added automatically at some point by MS as 2FA option. Nothing to do with us.

On trying to install MS authenticator it just loops, asking for authentication from authenticator. I cant access security options, I cant install authenticator and I cant speak to anyone at MS as the initial call to the UK help numbers to you to use online help which has no answers. Subsequent calls just auto redirect you to use online help.

So, cant view security, cant install authenticator, cant speak to anyone at MS to get help.

Great job whichever genius thought of adding this as a default 2FA. (that was sarcasm)

That doesnt help at all because it still requires me to sign in, which requires the authenticator app. Can someone please remove this useless answer?

Unfortunately, NG, it's the only answer anyone can provide, since if you've enabled 2-Step authentication with a Microsoft Personal account, the form Microsoft provides to recover your account can't be used, so since Microsoft has also removed the ability for Microsoft Support to access personal accounts to protect them, the only way to recover is either performing the appropriate Authenticator Recovery process from the backup of that data in your Google or Apple account which you must have made previously, or by using at least 2 other verification methods which are still valid like username/password, alternate email, text message to phone or Microsoft Recovery code.

Restore account credentials from Microsoft Authenticator - Microsoft Support

This attempt is best done from a Windows device that's been registered with your account in the past, which should be recognized as one factor and preferably one using Windows Hello Face (camera), Fingerprint or PIN, which are already considered 2-Step together.

If that's not possible, then using a Microsoft Edge browser (avoid anything 3rd-party like Chrome) to login using your password, then using either alternate email or text of a code as the 2nd-Step, should be enough to allow access to make the change necessary to remove both the Authenticator's 'Send sign-in notification' option, as well as the 2-Step setting turned Off until you're sure you've got everything fixed and working again.

If you didn't back up the authenticator previously and don't have at least 2 other methods available to try and use from either a registered Windows device using Edge to access your account or entirely from scratch using your username/password and alternate method, then no one can help you recover the account, since 2-Step means exactly that and no method exists to recover without them.

Rob

So much justification and blame from the moderators. Wow. Not a good look.

I went to open Mac Word and got stuck in this authenticator loop (switched phones---who the f would know that you have to back up the authenticator app: that's just a ridiculous expectation). I made so many attempts, now Word is locked out til tomorrow! I have work to do. Infuriating beyond belief. Somebody needs to lose their job for this horrific UX fail.