Can’t access to authentificator on my older phone - so I can’t connect to some personal accounts

Anna Vaz 0 Reputation points
2026-08-18T20:06:54.1833333+00:00

I changed my phone, on which I had authentificator.

Authentificator wasn’t on my iCloud saving

so now when I want to reconnect my new phone of - for example - instagram, they ask me for the double authentication thanks to authentificator but I have no more account saved on Authentificator.

So I would like to just defective the Authentificator configuration I had on my older phone so I can find back my instagram or other account

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Authenticator
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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-18T20:07:10.9233333+00:00

    If Microsoft Authenticator was not backed up from the old phone, the saved entries cannot be restored from that phone backup.

    For personal third-party accounts such as Instagram, the one-time password codes are only available after restore if a backup existed. If no backup exists, the account must be added again in Microsoft Authenticator, or recovery must be completed with that service’s own account recovery options.

    For Instagram and similar personal accounts:

    1. Use that service’s backup sign-in method, backup codes, email, phone verification, or account recovery flow.
    2. After access is recovered, remove the old authenticator setup in that service’s security settings.
    3. Then add the account again to Microsoft Authenticator on the new phone.

    If the issue is with Microsoft work or school accounts and the old phone is no longer available, an admin must reset the multifactor authentication settings so registration can be completed again.

    If restore failed for reasons other than missing backup, Microsoft guidance says the accounts can be added again. On iPhone, backup and restore also only works on the same device type, and requires iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup for Authenticator to have been enabled.


    References:

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