Stuck in sign in loop with the Authenticator app

Question

Stuck in sign in loop with the Authenticator app

Bonnie 0

Help! I´m stuck in a sign in loop! > Regarding the sign‑in issue you’re encountering: when Microsoft prompts you to enter a number from the Authenticator app, it indicates that multi‑factor authentication (MFA) is already enabled on the account. Since the account hasn’t been successfully added to the Authenticator app on your phone, the verification can’t be completed, which is why you’re stuck in this loop.

In this situation, the existing MFA configuration needs to be reset. For security reasons, MFA for a Global Administrator account can only be reset by Microsoft’s Data Protection Team, as they have the authority to verify ownership and remove or reset MFA settings.

Joana Antony Caceres 85 Reputation points

2026-05-20T05:53:31.9133333+00:00
Hello,

Based on the situation you described, it appears that Microsoft multi-factor authentication (MFA) is already enabled on the account, but the account was not successfully configured in the Authenticator app on the phone. Because of this, the verification request cannot be completed, which results in the continuous sign-in loop.

Unfortunately, once MFA is tied to an unavailable or unconfigured Authenticator app, the user cannot bypass or remove it manually from the sign-in screen.

If this is a Global Administrator account, the MFA reset must usually be handled by Microsoft’s Data Protection Team or another Global Administrator in the tenant who has permission to reset MFA methods.

Recommended steps:

Try signing in from:

Another browser

Incognito/Private mode

Another device

Check whether another Global Administrator exists in the organization who can:

Go to Microsoft Entra Admin Center

Open the affected user account

Reset authentication methods or require re-register MFA

If there is no other administrator available, contact Microsoft Support/Data Protection Team for account verification and MFA reset: Microsoft Support

Prepare the following information before contacting support:

Tenant/domain name

Admin email address

Billing/subscription information if available

Proof of ownership/identity

Once the MFA methods are reset, the account should be able to sign in again and reconfigure the Authenticator app properly. Hello,

Based on the situation you described, it appears that Microsoft multi-factor authentication (MFA) is already enabled on the account, but the account was not successfully configured in the Authenticator app on the phone. Because of this, the verification request cannot be completed, which results in the continuous sign-in loop.

Unfortunately, once MFA is tied to an unavailable or unconfigured Authenticator app, the user cannot bypass or remove it manually from the sign-in screen.

If this is a Global Administrator account, the MFA reset must usually be handled by Microsoft’s Data Protection Team or another Global Administrator in the tenant who has permission to reset MFA methods.

Recommended steps:

Try signing in from:

Another browser

Incognito/Private mode

Another device

Check whether another Global Administrator exists in the organization who can:

Go to Microsoft Entra Admin Center

Open the affected user account

Reset authentication methods or require re-register MFA

If there is no other administrator available, contact Microsoft Support/Data Protection Team for account verification and MFA reset:
Microsoft Support

Prepare the following information before contacting support:

Tenant/domain name

Admin email address

Billing/subscription information if available

Proof of ownership/identity

Once the MFA methods are reset, the account should be able to sign in again and reconfigure the Authenticator app properly.
Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-20T06:24:27.91+00:00

Bonnie

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

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, let us know, we are happy to assist you further!
Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-21T06:17:18.6033333+00:00

Bonnie

Following up to check if the resolution provided was helpful. Let us know if you need any further assistance.

1 answer

Your answer

Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-20T06:24:27.91+00:00

Bonnie

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

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, let us know, we are happy to assist you further!
Shubham Sharma 17,930 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-05-21T06:17:18.6033333+00:00

Bonnie

Following up to check if the resolution provided was helpful. Let us know if you need any further assistance.

Answer 1

To break out of the sign-in loop with Microsoft Authenticator, the existing multifactor authentication (MFA) configuration must be reset by an account with sufficient admin rights in the tenant.

For a work or school account in Microsoft Entra ID, the typical resolution is:

Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center with a Global Administrator (or equivalent) account that can manage users.
Go to Identity → Users → All users.
Select the affected user account.
Open Authentication methods for that user.
Select Require re-register MFA at the top.
Have the user sign in again; they will be prompted to register MFA from scratch and can add Microsoft Authenticator cleanly.

This clears the stuck MFA profile so the user can complete sign-in and reconfigure the Authenticator app.

If the affected account itself is the only Global Administrator and cannot be reset by another admin, the issue must be escalated to Microsoft support so that the appropriate internal team can verify ownership and reset MFA on the account.

If repeated sign-in attempts have already been made, Microsoft Entra multifactor authentication might temporarily block further attempts as a security measure. In that case, wait before trying again or use an alternate MFA method if one is available.

References: