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
    2024-12-28T00:04:11+00:00

    This experience and the lack of viable solutions presented on this thread, in addition to the extreme lack of customer support by Microsoft is a profound reminder of why I went to Mac and Google so many years ago. I wouldn't be using it now but for a new job that requires it and, now, I'm locked out of everything, including my personal Skype account. This issue has clearly persisted for more than a year and Microsoft has clearly done nothing to resolve it with a simple, easy fix that does not require you contacting an administrator to completely reset everything. People have every right to be angry and put Microsoft on blast for creating this kind of frustration that forces people toward madness.

    None of the solutions offered in this thread eliminates the need to submit a code from an Authenticator app that you cannot access. You cannot even set up the Authenticator app WITHOUT %&^*ING ACCESSING THE AUTHENTICATOR APP!!!! 🤬🤬🤬. If MS had any sense of decency that wasn't overridden by it oligopolic power over the massess it would fix this issue yesterday.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-05T22:13:00+00:00

    Hi Roderick, when using this step for my student account for step one it is still asking my to authenticate when logging in. So this in fact does nothing to resolve the issue.

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-01-06T11:44:04+00:00

    If you still have a live cookie session from your outlook account the solution(s) posted in this topic WORK because then you dont need to do the 2 steps authentication. You can then simply remove it and re-add it which will solved the issue.

    BUT if you dont have a live cookie session you cannot log in without the microsoft authenticator. But you cannot fix the issue with microsoft authenticator without logging in and this causes an endless loop.

    If you are NOT the admin of your account an admin can fix it for you BUT what if you are the admin yourself and you have no live cookie session open? Then I am afraid there is no solution at all. So I am afraid your student could be permanently stuck and a new account needs to be created for him/her.

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-01-06T14:13:26+00:00

    This is the STUPIDEST product ever! Fix this loop already!

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  5. Anonymous
    2025-01-07T11:15:13+00:00

    Hello,

    I am having the same problem. However the above steps will not work for me because when I try to access my security and info it asks me to authenticate with the app. Which I cannot do because I am already in this catch 22. I really do think you should consider getting this problem fixed as people can very easily have the app removed and redownloaded for a multitude of reasons.

    Please could you help.

    Thanks,

    Merle

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