Managing personal Outlook.com account settings, security, and privacy
To update outdated security email/phone and fix two-step verification after 30 days, use the built-in “replace security info” flow. The exact steps depend on how much access is still available.
- If the password is known and at least one security method still works
- Go to the Advanced security options page of the Microsoft account and sign in: Sign in.
- Select Add a new way to sign in or verify and choose a new phone or email.
- Enter the code sent to that new phone/email and select Next.
- Under Security info, expand the old phone/email entries and select Remove, then confirm.
- Do not remove all security info at once in the future, otherwise the account can be restricted for 30 days.
- If the password is known but there is no access to any existing security info
- Begin sign-in to the Microsoft account: Sign in.
- At the Verify your identity prompt, select I don't have any of these.
- Follow the prompts to replace the security info with a new phone/email.
- After replacement, there is a 30-day waiting period before full access is restored. During this period, most services (including OneDrive) can be used, but some sensitive actions (like changing password or aliases) are blocked. If two-factor verification was turned on, access to sensitive content such as OneDrive vault is blocked until the 30 days end.
- If the password is not known and there is no access to security info
- Use the Microsoft account recovery form: Recover account.
- Follow the guidance in Help with the Microsoft account recovery form to provide as much accurate information as possible.
- If the account shows “Security info change is still pending”
- If that message appears, it means a security info replacement request is in the 30-day pending period.
- During this period, most Microsoft services (including signing in to OneDrive, Outlook.com, etc.) can be used, but some actions like updating password, parental controls, or aliases are blocked.
- If two-factor verification was enabled, access to anything in the table of restricted actions is blocked until the 30 days end.
- Once the 30 days have passed, try signing in again and updating security info as in step 1.
If codes are not arriving when trying to sign in or unlock the account, avoid repeated requests (this can cause temporary blocking), verify the phone/email entries are correct, and if all security info is lost, always choose I don't have any of these to start the replacement flow.
References:
- Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues
- Common problems with two-step verification for a work or school account
- What does “Security info change is still pending” mean?
- How to use two-step verification with your Microsoft account
- Can't sign in to my email - Microsoft Q&A
- Please confirm my e mail address as <removed PII>@outlook.com - Microsoft Q&A
- My account got hacked. - Microsoft Q&A
- Keeps prompting "Add a recovery phone number" but my phone is already added for recovery - Microsoft Q&A
- I need to speak with a real person and it seems impossible. - Microsoft Q&A
- Microsoft account has been locked