Cannot access account with Authenticator because it wants me to use Authenticator to authenticate

Anonymous
2024-01-31T23:31:52+00:00

I can't post this from the account I'm having issues with, but I am trying to get an Authenticator account set up for my Office 365 account, but whenever I try to do that, it asks for the code in Authenticator. But since it isn't set up with Authenticator yet, I cannot give it a code. I'm stuck in a catch 22. I've heard I can get a new QR code if I login and look under security settings, but I cannot login without getting my code from Authenticator, which I don't have set up yet. And I called MS support and they sent me a link to do it, but it will not let me access without the Authentication code from Authenticator, which I cannot access, because it isn't set up yet.

Any help from anyone? Just switch to Google? The only reason I need to do this is because I changed the account password. It didn't need me to authenticate to do that. But it does need me to update that same password change on my phone. So stupid.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Subscription, account, billing | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-10-29T01:21:06+00:00
    1. Go to mysignins.microsoft.com and under security and info, manage login verification methods. Delete Microsoft Authenticator as an option and then re-add it ^2^.

    Accessing Security and Info page requires using the Authenticator App. So this advice stops at step 1.

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-10-23T22:11:27+00:00

    Are we wasting our time here? Does MS even look at this "Community Board"? I'm going to say no since this issue has and still is going on for 10 months now. This isn't the only thread on this subject.
    When I called their 800 number the automated system just tells you to open a ticket but I can't log in.

    I know it's a pipe dream but it sure would be nice to speak to a human...

    This is my personal account. It's my Business account that I can't log in with.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-10-23T00:21:44+00:00

    This is the solution, thank you so much for the workaround, I was struggling with this for the whole morning

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-10-17T05:33:50+00:00

    I had the same absolutely infuriating problem with my authenticator app. I tried looking everywhere for a solution and neither the internet nor Microsoft has helped. After a lot of hair-pulling, I finally found a workaround. I don't know if it'll work for everyone, but hopefully it helps someone.

    1. Opened up a Microsoft app/software on my laptop, like Copilot or M365. (I was logged into the account I had issues with.)
    2. Clicked the account bubble in the top right corner.
    3. Opened up the blue "My Account" URL.
    4. Clicked the tab on the left labled "Security Info".
    5. From there, I deleted the Authenticator app sign in option and replaced it with a code sent by sms.

    Hopefully those instructions are clear enough and they help.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-10-10T09:51:10+00:00

    Hi there!

    I had the same issue, and here’s how I solved it. I accessed mysignins.microsoft.com using my Windows PC. Since I had set up Windows Hello authentication, the site just asked for my 4-digit Windows Hello authentication code, and I was in. From there, I followed the instructions to delete the corrupted Microsoft Authenticator sign-in method and added it again. Booommmm! Problem solved!

    Hope this helps!

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