Unable to access my Hotmail account – old phone unavailable and recovery form unsuccessful

Bledian Fera 20 Reputation points
2026-08-30T12:00:05.3833333+00:00

Hello Microsoft Support,

I’m trying to regain access to my personal Hotmail/Microsoft account, but I’m currently unable to complete the verification or password-reset process.

I recently got a new phone, but my Microsoft Authenticator is still connected to my old phone. Unfortunately, the touchscreen on my old phone is broken, so I cannot interact with the device or approve the Authenticator verification request.

I have tried resetting the password for the Hotmail account I’m trying to access, but the recovery process has also been unsuccessful. I have submitted the account recovery form and provided the information I have available, but I keep receiving a message saying that I have not provided enough information to verify that I am the owner of the account.

I have also tried the available verification options, but I receive a message saying that the verification method is not working right now.

This is my personal account, and I am the legitimate owner. I am willing to provide any additional information that may be necessary to verify my identity and ownership of the account.

Could you please help me recover access to my account, or advise me on what I can do to verify my ownership and set up Microsoft Authenticator on my new phone?

Thank you very much for your help.

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy
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Answer accepted by question author
Virginia M 41,885 Reputation points Independent Advisor
2026-08-30T12:42:54.4566667+00:00

Unfortunately without the authentication methods it’ll be impossible to recover the account, however here are some suggestions.

First you can try installing the Authenticator app on a new device & trying the recover accounts option - usually this still requires authentication from the old device but you might be lucky.

Next if you’re trying to send an authentication code to your email or phone via a browser you can try a non Chrome related browser &/or try via incognito mode - many have had success sending the code from Firefox.

Lastly you can try this:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5920985/how-to-fix-we-will-send-a-verification-code-to-mod

Check the Answer by "Hornblower409 Jun 25 2026" for a potential solution.

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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-30T12:00:24.0566667+00:00

    For a personal Microsoft/Hotmail account, the supported recovery path is:

    1. Try the Sign-in Helper first. It is the recommended first step for most sign-in problems and can identify what recovery option is available.
    2. If the account recovery form was already rejected, submit it again with stronger information. Microsoft reviews the answers and responds within 24 hours.
    3. Complete the recovery form from a device previously used to sign in and from a location commonly used before, such as home or office.
    4. Use a working email address that can receive the recovery result. That address is used only to contact about the recovery request.
    5. If the recovery request is unsuccessful, it can be retried up to two times per day.
    6. If the sign-in flow shows security info that is no longer accessible, select “I don't have any of these” and follow the prompts.
    7. If the phone number or email shown for verification is unfamiliar, first verify the account name and domain carefully, such as .com vs .co.uk, and check for spelling differences in the account name.

    Important limits:

    • If two-step verification is turned on and none of the alternate verification methods are accessible, support agents cannot send password reset links or change account details.
    • If the available verification method says it is not working right now, the supported next step remains the Sign-in Helper or the account recovery form.
    • If the account is verified through the recovery form, instructions to sign back in are sent to the working email address provided in the form.

    For the broken old phone scenario, the only supported self-service options in the available guidance are:

    • recover access through the Sign-in Helper
    • use the account recovery form again with as much accurate information as possible
    • use “I don't have any of these” during sign-in if old security info is unavailable

    If the account name is accepted but the password or verification still fails, use Recover your account and follow the code and password reset steps there.

    References:

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

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