Locked out of my Microsoft account

Question

Locked out of my Microsoft account

Rob Kidd 0

I'm a sole tenant / admin on my Microsoft 365 account and am locked out.

@Rukmini Mortha I'm following your advice on the thread about contacting Data Protection. Yesterday, without warning, my Authenticator app stopped generating codes, and I get an error message saying Sign-in error: Error finding an account to complete multi-factor authentication. You may need to add the account again. Following other advice I tried removing and re-adding this account to Authenticator but it hasn't worked. I've tried raising a call with the automated support desk, and have a case number, but no way to know if this is even being looked at. I cannot access my work email, this is costing me money for as long as it continues, and I have no way to resolve it.

VEMULA SRISAI 13,900 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-19T14:25:03.5266667+00:00

Hello Rob Kidd,

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!
Rob Kidd 0 Reputation points

2026-05-19T14:30:53.4133333+00:00

@VEMULA SRISAI thank you for the quick response. The phone number on that link (UK) goes through to an automated system that only lets me raise the call with a priority C, and no way to escalate to the Data Protection Team. I have done this, and have a support request number, which I can share if helpful. I don't have access to another account with Global Admin rights. Please can you help to escalate this?
VEMULA SRISAI 13,900 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-19T14:44:30.6933333+00:00

Rob Kidd please share the support ticket number in private message.

Your answer

VEMULA SRISAI 13,900 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-19T14:25:03.5266667+00:00

Hello Rob Kidd,

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!
Rob Kidd 0 Reputation points

2026-05-19T14:30:53.4133333+00:00

@VEMULA SRISAI thank you for the quick response. The phone number on that link (UK) goes through to an automated system that only lets me raise the call with a priority C, and no way to escalate to the Data Protection Team. I have done this, and have a support request number, which I can share if helpful. I don't have access to another account with Global Admin rights. Please can you help to escalate this?
VEMULA SRISAI 13,900 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-19T14:44:30.6933333+00:00

Rob Kidd please share the support ticket number in private message.