MFA & Verification Issues

How to Fix MFA After Deleting Microsoft Authenticator Account

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user accidentally deleted their Microsoft Authenticator account profile and is now completely blocked from approving two-step verification requests or generating a new QR code to regain access.

Product: Microsoft Authenticator
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to log into a Microsoft account or access security settings when two-step verification is actively enforced.
Observed behavior: The system prompts the user to approve the login via the Microsoft Authenticator app, but since the account profile was deleted from the app, no prompt is received, and the user cannot bypass the MFA screen.

Before you start

Determine whether the locked account is a personal Microsoft account or a Work/School account provided by an organization, as the recovery methods for each are entirely different.

Solution 1Recommended

Reset MFA for Work or School Accounts

If you are using a corporate or educational Microsoft 365 account, a global administrator can reset your MFA settings so you can re-register the Authenticator app.

Work and school accounts are managed by your organization's IT department. Standard users do not have the permissions to bypass MFA independently once the Authenticator app is unlinked or deleted.

Contact an IT administrator

Reach out to another global administrator or the IT helpdesk within your organization.

Access the Microsoft 365 Admin Center

Ask the administrator to log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center using their active admin credentials.

Locate your user profile

The administrator must navigate to 'Users' > 'Active users' in the left-hand menu and click on your account name.

Require re-registration of MFA

The administrator should click on 'Manage multi-factor authentication', select your account, and choose 'Require selected users to provide contact methods again'.

Set up Authenticator again

Go to the Microsoft login page and sign in with your email and password. You will be prompted to set up your security information again, allowing you to scan a new QR code with the Authenticator app.

Solution 2

Recover MFA for Personal Microsoft Accounts

If you deleted the Authenticator profile for a personal Microsoft account (like Outlook.com or Xbox), you must use alternative verification methods or the account recovery form.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover my deleted Microsoft Authenticator data?

If you had cloud backup enabled in the Authenticator app settings before it was deleted, you can recover your credentials. Reinstall the app, sign in with your personal Microsoft account, and select 'Begin recovery'. If you did not enable backup, the accounts must be re-added manually.

What happens if I am the only administrator and get locked out?

If you are the sole global administrator for a Microsoft 365 organization and get locked out due to MFA issues, you cannot reset it yourself. You must contact Microsoft Data Protection Support by phone to verify your identity and have them manually reset your MFA.

Why does Microsoft still ask for an Authenticator code when I try to recover it?

This happens if Microsoft Authenticator is set as your default or only verification method. You must look for and select the 'Sign in another way' option on the login screen to use alternative methods like a backup phone number or email if they were previously configured.

Login & Account Issues