[Moderator note: Personally Identifiable Information removed]@618xrx.onmicrosoft.com - reset authenticator because lost phone

Hi Son,    

Changing to a new phone often triggers this issue because your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) settings usually need to be reset. When you switch devices or reinstall the Microsoft Authenticator app, your new phone isn’t automatically configured for authentication. Since the app is still tied to your previous device, you’re unable to receive authentication codes on the new one, which is why you can’t access your account right now. 

Since you are the sole Global Administrator for the tenant, please follow the steps below to complete the account recovery process and regain access.

Option 1: Contact Microsoft Data Protection Support by Phone (Primary Method)   

To regain access to your admin account as you can't access the Admin Portal, you can try reaching out to our Global Customer Service phone to raise a request for resetting your authentication method here: Customer service phone numbers - Microsoft Support. During the call, request to speak to an agent, and share with them every detail related to your query and also mention that you are the only admin lost access to your account. This should allow you to contact the appropriate team so you can solve this incident as soon as possible.  

Here are some tips and an example of a prompt to help you navigate the IVR more effectively:   

(When you call the support number, you may hear an introduction of about 30 seconds such as "you can visit the link...". You can ignore this introduction and wait until you are presented with the options. Then press "1" as a business email user, and again "1" for technical help.)         

In some countries, it is an automated conversation like:  

IVR: What kind of problem are you concerned about?        

You: Authenticator.        

IVR: What kind of product do you use?        

You: Office 365 for business.        

IVR confirmation: education or company account?        

You: For companies        

IVR: Are you an administrator?        

You: Yes.        

IVR: Do you have another administrator in your organization?        

You: No.        

IVR: Do you need a... Service request?     

You: Yes. I need to create a ticket. Please send me directly to the Data Protection Team. 

Option 2: Create a Temporary Account (Trial Tenant) to Submit a Support Ticket (Alternative Method)  

If you still cannot reach to a live agent, there is still a workaround, you might consider registering for a new tenant by signing up for a trial subscription and submit your request from there.      

To set up a new tenant, please follow these steps below: 

Visit  Microsoft 365 Business Plans and Pricing | Microsoft 365. This would allow you to create a new tenant following the prompts provided. Once set up, you can access the admin console of the new tenant and submit a support ticket requesting to speak with the Data Protection team on behalf of your previous tenant.       

Follow the guided setup process to create a new account for a new tenant.   

Once your tenant is created, you should be able to access the support portal and submit your ticket referencing your locked account without further issues 

In your ticket description, you'll need to clearly explain that you're trying to regain access to your previous Microsoft 365 tenant and need help from the Data Protection team. Here's a message you can use or adapt:   

"Hello, I’m currently unable to access my previous Microsoft 365 tenant due to losing MFA access, which prevents me from receiving verification codes. I’m the global admin, but I’m locked out and unable to generate a QR code or bypass MFA.   

I created this new tenant solely to request assistance. I kindly ask to be connected with the Data Protection team to verify my identity and help me recover access to the original tenant.   

This is urgent, as I rely on Microsoft 365 for my work and have been unable to operate for several days. I’m available to provide any documentation or verification needed to support the recovery process."   

Ticket Support: In the Microsoft 365 Admin Center > Support > Help & Support. You can raise support ticket at https://admin.microsoft.com/#/support/requests     

Please remember to cancel the trial subscription after your issue is resolved, as this will help you avoid any accidental billing. You may prefer the following resource for detailed instructions: Cancel your Microsoft business subscription in the Microsoft 365 admin center | Microsoft Learn 

I hope this helps you regain access to your account quickly. I'm glad to assist and truly hope the information provided has been useful. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need further assistance.  

If you find my post helpful, kindly consider marking the answer as "Yes". Doing so can assist others in the community who may have similar questions in finding solutions more quickly.  

Thank you for your kindness and contributions to the forum.  

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