Authentikator is showing wrong number on my new phone

Luca 0 Reputation points
2026-08-03T14:01:08.43+00:00

Because my old phone got damaged i tried to logout of the authenticator app, but it was not enough. Now i'm not able to get the right code to chage the phone on the my apps.

What can I do?

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator
0 comments No comments

1 answer

Sort by: Oldest
  1. AI answer

    2026-08-03T14:01:32.1166667+00:00

    This usually happens because notifications or approval prompts are still tied to the old device, or the new phone was added but not fully registered as the active authenticator method.

    Try this in order:

    1. Check the old phone if it is still accessible If the old device can still open Microsoft Authenticator, approve the sign-in there. Push notifications are often sent to the device where Authenticator was last used.
    2. Use another sign-in method if one is available On the sign-in screen, choose another verification method such as SMS or email.
    3. Remove the old phone from Security info and add the new one again
      • Go to the Security info or Additional security verification page.
      • Delete the old phone or old Authenticator-related method.
      • Select Add sign-in method.
      • Choose Phone if the immediate problem is that the phone number is wrong, then add the new number.
      • If the goal is to use Microsoft Authenticator on the new phone, add the new device again and complete registration from the QR code flow.
    4. If the new phone shows the account but does not authenticate correctly Add it again from the account’s Security info page instead of relying on the copied app state from the old phone. The new device must be explicitly registered.
    5. If the old phone is lost, damaged, or cannot be used and no other method works For a work or school account, contact the organization’s Help desk and ask them to clear or reset MFA settings so registration can be done again.
    6. If Authenticator shows “Authentication did not complete” Check these on the new phone:
      • Microsoft Authenticator is unlocked
      • Notifications are enabled and not silent
      • The app is updated
      • Internet connection is working
      • Date and time are correct

    If the issue is specifically a wrong phone number, update the verification method details by going to the Additional security verification page, deleting the old phone entry, and adding the new phone number.


    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.