I posted this a few days ago, but I guess it was closed. But here is what is going on: 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. Roderick L replied with this recommendation: I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble accessing your account. Based on my search results, it seems like you’re stuck in a loop where the Authenticator app is asking you to authenticate using the app itself. This can happen if you’ve removed your account from the app after adding it previously. Here are some steps you can try to resolve this issue: 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^ . Make sure you’re running the latest version of the Authenticator app. Tap Settings and make sure App updates is turned on. Make sure the device requires a PIN or biometric to unlock (lock screen). Try to re-enable faceID or fingerprint in the device settings and restart the device ^3^ . If the above steps don’t work, you may need to contact your Microsoft 365 admin to help you disable Multi-factor authentication for your account. Then re-enable Multi-factor authentication for your account. You may need to reinstall the Authenticator app and then set up the Microsoft Authenticator app again I hope this helps you regain access to your account. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. And then it was closed without me replying. But I did finally get a ticket number and was told the Data Protection Unit would call me to resolve it within 24-48 hours. That was 6 days ago and nothing. I'm currently on hold after giving them my ticket number and I've been on hold for 4 hours. The hold music is driving me insane. I did what Roderick recommended, but when I clicked on teh Security and Info option, I just got a loading message. Eventually, it did ask me to login to view it, but then it wanted my passcode from the Authenticator app. Which obviously isn't set up and won't work. I don't know how Microsoft can expect me to run my business with no access to email for 6 days and counting.

Same here. It seems like this issue has been going on for years and I haven't been able to find a solution.

I had the same issue. The data protection team got back in touch with us in under 48 hours, though we figured it out ourselves just prior to that. We had just switched over to Microsoft services, so none of us were familiar with the admin controls, but it turns out the authentication can be reset if you can get into the global admin account (if the global admin account has the recursive authentication problem, it appears you may be well and truly stuck). Using someone with global admin access, from the admin homepage, go to Users then Active users. There should be an option above the users referring to Multifactor Authentication. Open that, select the user with the issue, and reset everything. I'm not sure if it's required, but at that point, I uninstalled and reinstalled the authenticator app on my phone. Logging in worked perfectly, and I was able to set up the authenticator again.

I can’t begin to list the amount of issues I’ve had on this authenticator app. Worst one out there and unfortunately my place of work has decided to use this authenticator app to login to our work emails.

I'm having a similar issue with opening shared documents on the Outlook desktop app. When I click on the shared link, it opens a page stating I need to log into authenticator. It wants me to download the app, but I already have the app on my phone. For some reason, my desktop Outlook app is not recognizing Authenticator. There is no way for me to bypass the download screen with the QR code. However, I am able to access the document if I log into my online Outlook account.

I have the same issue with one of our staff email accounts, the user had the authenticator on his phone, He wiped the phone and got a new one, now he can't use the authenticator on the new phone, it just comes up asking to authenticate. I have tried disabling his accounts multi factor authentication but still I can't get to the users accounts section and delete the authenticator licence. because it asks to authenticate. This is becoming very frustrating. Jez.

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

Anonymous

I posted this a few days ago, but I guess it was closed.

But here is what is going on:

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.

Roderick L replied with this recommendation:

I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble accessing your account. Based on my search results, it seems like you’re stuck in a loop where the Authenticator app is asking you to authenticate using the app itself. This can happen if you’ve removed your account from the app after adding it previously. Here are some steps you can try to resolve this issue:

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^.
Make sure you’re running the latest version of the Authenticator app. Tap Settings and make sure App updates is turned on. Make sure the device requires a PIN or biometric to unlock (lock screen). Try to re-enable faceID or fingerprint in the device settings and restart the device ^3^.
If the above steps don’t work, you may need to contact your Microsoft 365 admin to help you disable Multi-factor authentication for your account. Then re-enable Multi-factor authentication for your account. You may need to reinstall the Authenticator app and then set up the Microsoft Authenticator app again

I hope this helps you regain access to your account. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

And then it was closed without me replying. But I did finally get a ticket number and was told the Data Protection Unit would call me to resolve it within 24-48 hours. That was 6 days ago and nothing. I'm currently on hold after giving them my ticket number and I've been on hold for 4 hours. The hold music is driving me insane.

I did what Roderick recommended, but when I clicked on teh Security and Info option, I just got a loading message. Eventually, it did ask me to login to view it, but then it wanted my passcode from the Authenticator app. Which obviously isn't set up and won't work.

I don't know how Microsoft can expect me to run my business with no access to email for 6 days and counting.

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.

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Anonymous

2024-04-25T15:17:00+00:00

Same here. It seems like this issue has been going on for years and I haven't been able to find a solution.
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Anonymous

2024-05-23T19:58:42+00:00

I had the same issue. The data protection team got back in touch with us in under 48 hours, though we figured it out ourselves just prior to that.

We had just switched over to Microsoft services, so none of us were familiar with the admin controls, but it turns out the authentication can be reset if you can get into the global admin account (if the global admin account has the recursive authentication problem, it appears you may be well and truly stuck).

Using someone with global admin access, from the admin homepage, go to Users then Active users. There should be an option above the users referring to Multifactor Authentication. Open that, select the user with the issue, and reset everything.

I'm not sure if it's required, but at that point, I uninstalled and reinstalled the authenticator app on my phone. Logging in worked perfectly, and I was able to set up the authenticator again.
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Anonymous

2024-06-10T04:04:04+00:00

I can’t begin to list the amount of issues I’ve had on this authenticator app. Worst one out there and unfortunately my place of work has decided to use this authenticator app to login to our work emails.
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Anonymous

2024-07-15T13:49:44+00:00

I'm having a similar issue with opening shared documents on the Outlook desktop app. When I click on the shared link, it opens a page stating I need to log into authenticator. It wants me to download the app, but I already have the app on my phone. For some reason, my desktop Outlook app is not recognizing Authenticator. There is no way for me to bypass the download screen with the QR code. However, I am able to access the document if I log into my online Outlook account.
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Anonymous

2024-07-24T14:23:22+00:00

I have the same issue with one of our staff email accounts, the user had the authenticator on his phone, He wiped the phone and got a new one, now he can't use the authenticator on the new phone, it just comes up asking to authenticate.
I have tried disabling his accounts multi factor authentication but still I can't get to the users accounts section and delete the authenticator licence. because it asks to authenticate.

This is becoming very frustrating.

Jez.
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