Log out of admin centre and unable to access to Microsoft Authenticator App

Question

Log out of admin centre and unable to access to Microsoft Authenticator App

Eddy Liau 0

Hello, I am unable to get logged back into my tenants as a global administrator because my Microsoft Authenticator app was reset. I do not have any other global administrator accounts so I am currently experiencing a total lockout.

Since I cannot get into this tenant, can someone with Microsoft in this forum assist me with opening a case to the Data Protection Team? @Anonymous

Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-11T01:43:03.4566667+00:00

Eddy Liau

Based on the details you’ve shared, this appears to be a tenant lockout scenario.

To resolve this, the recommended approach is to contact the Microsoft Data Protection team. You can reach them by calling Microsoft Customer Service using the phone numbers listed here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/customer-service-phone-numbers-c0389ade-5640-e588-8b0e-28de8afeb3f2

If you have access to another tenant or subscription where you still have Global Administrator privileges, you may also raise a support request from there to get assistance in restoring access to the affected tenant.

For future reference and to help prevent tenant lockouts, please check: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/customers/gdap-preventing-tenant-lockouts

If neither option is possible, please don’t worry—let us know, we are happy to assist you further!
Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-12T07:03:59.9033333+00:00

Eddy Liau

Following up to see if the provided resolution was helpful. If you have any further queries do let us know.

1 answer

Your answer

Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-11T01:43:03.4566667+00:00

Eddy Liau

Based on the details you’ve shared, this appears to be a tenant lockout scenario.

To resolve this, the recommended approach is to contact the Microsoft Data Protection team. You can reach them by calling Microsoft Customer Service using the phone numbers listed here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/customer-service-phone-numbers-c0389ade-5640-e588-8b0e-28de8afeb3f2

If you have access to another tenant or subscription where you still have Global Administrator privileges, you may also raise a support request from there to get assistance in restoring access to the affected tenant.

For future reference and to help prevent tenant lockouts, please check: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/customers/gdap-preventing-tenant-lockouts

If neither option is possible, please don’t worry—let us know, we are happy to assist you further!
Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-12T07:03:59.9033333+00:00

Eddy Liau

Following up to see if the provided resolution was helpful. If you have any further queries do let us know.

Answer 1

Because the Microsoft Authenticator app was reset and there is no other global administrator in the tenant, this is a tenant lockout scenario that must be handled by Microsoft’s Data Protection team.

Follow these steps to regain access:

Use Self-Service Password Reset (if enabled)
- If Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) is configured for the account, first try recovering access via the Self Service Password Reset tool.
- If SSPR is not enabled or does not resolve the issue, proceed to step 2.
Contact Microsoft Data Protection / Tenant Recovery by phone
- This situation matches the documented guidance where the only global admin is locked out and cannot complete MFA.
- Call the appropriate regional support number listed under Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support or Get support - Microsoft 365 admin. These links are provided in the context:
  - Global customer service phone numbers
  - Get support - Microsoft 365 admin
- When the IVR or agent asks for details, clearly state:
  - This is a work/school (company) account.
  - It is a Microsoft 365 / Microsoft Entra ID tenant.
  - The caller is the only global administrator.
  - Access is lost because Microsoft Authenticator was reset and MFA cannot be completed.
  - There is no other admin who can reset MFA.
- Ask specifically to be routed to the Microsoft 365 / Azure Data Protection team (sometimes called Tenant Recovery or Data Protection) to perform an admin account recovery and MFA reset.
If support access is blocked, use a temporary trial tenant (fallback)
- If frontline support cannot create a ticket because the admin portal cannot be accessed, create a new trial Microsoft 365 tenant as described in the guidance:
  - Sign up for a trial plan (for example, from the Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise trial page).
  - Complete setup and sign in to the admin center of this new tenant.
  - From there, go to Support → Help & support and open a ticket.
  - In the ticket, clearly state that the issue is with another existing tenant where the caller is the only global admin and is locked out due to MFA (Authenticator reset). Provide:
    - The admin UPN of the locked tenant.
    - The tenant’s primary domain.
    - Error messages seen during sign-in.
    - Confirmation that the caller is the sole global admin.
- Ask that the case be escalated to the Data Protection team to verify identity and reset MFA / restore access.
Work with Data Protection team
- The Data Protection team has specific tools and processes to:
  - Verify ownership and admin rights.
  - Reset credentials or MFA methods for the global admin account.
  - Help regain access to the tenant when no other admin is available.
After recovery: add safeguards
- Once access is restored:
  - Add at least one additional global admin account.
  - Configure multiple MFA methods (Authenticator, phone, email, security key) for the admin account.
  - Enable and configure Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) and keep recovery methods up to date.

Forum moderators and community members cannot directly reset MFA or access the tenant; only Microsoft Support (Data Protection team) can perform the required admin recovery in this scenario.

References: