add phone number

If the goal is to add a phone number for sign-in to a personal Microsoft account, use the Account info/Profile area, not the Security verification area:

1. Open https://account.microsoft.com/profile
2. Under Account info, go to Phone number
3. Select Add your phone number

If the goal is to add a phone number for security verification, Microsoft may no longer offer phone as a new verification method for some personal accounts. In that case:

1. Go to https://account.microsoft.com/security
2. Select Manage how I sign in
3. Select Add a new way to sign in or verify
4. If phone is not offered, use one of the available methods such as a recovery email address, Microsoft Authenticator, or a passkey

If the option to add a phone number is missing or the number will not add:

1. Make sure the number is not already linked to another Microsoft account
2. Try an incognito/private browser window
3. Try a different browser, clear cache/cookies, or use a different device/network
4. If a message says the number is already taken or already used to sign in, remove it from the other Microsoft account first, then add it to the intended account
5. If there is no Transfer option, the number may have been used recently on another account. In that case, use a different number, or try again after 30 days if the number is new

Important details:

• A phone number can only be added to a single Microsoft account
• Only one mobile number can be used as a sign-in alias
• The option to add a new phone number may not appear for security verification on some accounts

If help is still needed, use Microsoft Support from the account support pages.

References:

• Microsoft account security info & verification codes
• Help with reusing phone numbers in a Microsoft account
• Adding your phone number to a Microsoft account in Microsoft Teams Free
• How do I add my phone number to my sign in details? - Microsoft Q&A