How to unlock my Hotmail account that is getting locked every time I Try to use my email. I tried to use Authenticator app but I can’t add my personal account into the app

If the Hotmail account is being locked repeatedly, start with the Microsoft account unlock flow:

1. Sign in at https://account.microsoft.com to request a security code.
2. Use any phone number that can receive text messages. It does not need to be linked to the account and does not need to be a smartphone.
3. Enter the code to unlock the account.
4. If prompted, create a new password.

If the sign-in page does not show Next, that indicates the account was locked due to suspicious activity or a Terms of Use issue. In that case, use the aka.ms/ link shown in the sign-in window and submit the reinstatement request. After submission, wait for the Microsoft Online Safety review and do not submit multiple requests.

For Outlook.com specifically, if normal unblocking does not work, use Sign-in Helper from the Outlook.com unblock page. If the mailbox or OneDrive storage is full, email sending and receiving can also be affected.

For Microsoft Authenticator, add the personal account this way:

1. Sign in to the Microsoft account Security tab at https://account.microsoft.com/security.
2. Select Manage how I sign in.
3. Select Add a new way to sign in or verify.
4. Choose Use an app.
5. Open Microsoft Authenticator on the phone.
6. Tap the plus icon.
7. Select Personal account.
8. Tap Scan a QR Code.
9. Scan the QR code shown on the PC.

If the QR code cannot be scanned, select I can't scan the bar code on the PC and then Enter code manually in the app.

If Authenticator still fails during sign-in with Authentication did not complete, check these items:

• Make sure the Authenticator app is unlocked.
• Enable notifications for the app.
• Update to the latest app version.
• Check internet connectivity and try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
• Make sure the phone date and time are correct.

If access to Authenticator is temporarily unavailable, other authentication methods on the account can still be used. If two-step verification is enabled, two recovery methods are required.

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