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
    2025-01-15T19:53:38+00:00

    Michael,

    Thank you. Those are the best steps so far.

    Since I have no trouble changing my password, I've been using "Can't access authenticator" or some variant.

    So I'll tell a little white lie to get to a hu-man <said in my best Ferengi voice>

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-01-15T19:25:11+00:00

    Firstly, I used Chrome with an incognito tab and it worked. Now, that said, it's possible Microsoft Support did something first. That I don't know.

    1. I called the support line and said business customer
    2. I said "problems logging into Microsoft 365" This is important because it puts the AI down a different track.
    3. Say you are a global admin, you tried to change password, and there was no error code.
    4. These answers got me to a live person.
    5. Now you can get a support number and in 2 weeks Data Retrieval (or whatever it's called) called me back.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-12-27T19:50:36+00:00

    This worked! After trying 100 different things this did it! Yes, and I did do a little dance and laughed hysterically!

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-12-27T12:59:11+00:00

    I solved it, here are the steps:

    1. Sign-In to your microsoft account;
    2. Go to Security tab and click on Manage how I sign in;
    3. Disable Send sign-in notification;
    4. Disable Passwordless account if enabled;
    5. Disable Two-step verification if enabled;
    6. On your phone open Microsoft Authenticator and delete the account;
    7. Clean the cache of the app and force close of the app;
    8. Reboot the phone;
    9. Re-enable all previous settings;

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-12-24T08:36:29+00:00

    I swear I am going to have to quit my Joh because of this "Microsoft Authenticator" ****.

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