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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

77 answers

Sort by: Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2024-08-20T17:10:19+00:00

    This information is unhelpful because going to mysignins.microsoft.com requires 2FA via authenticator, so I am locked out of changing any authenticator settings. I have other accounts set up in authenticator, but this one does not work. When it says to approve on my authenticator app, nothing shows up.

    When I go to authenticator app and delete that problem account and try to set it up again, it asks to approve on my authenticator app, but im in the authenticator app already, so that does no good. I have also tried reinstalling the authenticator app. no joy there either.

    The only other option is to contact the administrator, but guess what? I am the administrator locked out of my administrator account, so that doesn't help either.

    There is no text message option, I suspect because I didn't register my number with that microsoft account.

    I think this may have happened because I had my previous phone fall in the water and was unable to recover it and shut down things like authenticator, so maybe the authentication is still connected to the hardware address of that device, which doesn't exist anymore, but authenticator hasn't gotten the memo.

    Please help!

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2024-08-20T21:26:03+00:00

    I hear your pain..... if ONLY you could SPEAK with someone @ MS - wouldn't that be novel? I tried and tried and tried to get around the AI and standardised answers (because they were useless). Finally, I made an online enquiry to purchase 50+ licences and lo' & behold - I had a REAL person contact me! Of course THEY couldn't help and promised to pass on the enquiry to an un-named boffin - NOTHING came of it. SO - we cancelled the credit card where the direct debit was coming from and went to google workspace. Good luck with dealing with MS _ I dont like your chances

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2024-08-21T05:11:08+00:00

    Thanks for sharing your experience! After multiple posts, I finally found someone in early July '24 who fixed it within 8 hours, after a 15-day business stoppage. As of today, August 21st, I have no idea how to remove my post. Can someone guide me on how to do it?

    Regards,
    Guillaume

    Special thanks to the community. I understand why people with organizations are turning to Google.

    Was this answer helpful?

    6 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2024-08-22T00:06:45+00:00

    you replied to the issue with the same issue........... it. requires authenticator app to access mysignins.microsoft.com........ did you not understand the issue? how can i use authenticator app to authenticate the authenticater ****

    Was this answer helpful?

    10+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2024-08-22T02:32:40+00:00

    It's August 21st now and still no luck. I have tried contacting my domain host and all of their solutions revolve around changing Microsoft settings and I get stuck in the loop, again. I'm surprised I even got back into this forum because the last several times I tried I get stuck in the loop and gave up. I'm working on doing whatever I can to get away from Micrsoft. It's one thing for this many people to have issues, but another to have no real solutions.

    Was this answer helpful?

    7 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments