Password & Account Recovery

How to Recover a Company Microsoft 365 Account After an Employee Leaves

Steve K Sep 29, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to recover access to a company Microsoft 365 account and manage its active subscriptions after the employee who previously managed it leaves the organization.

How to Recover a Company Microsoft 365 Account After an Employee Leaves

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An employee has left the company, and the organization can no longer access the Microsoft account used for business subscriptions or administration.
Observed behavior: The company is locked out of the Microsoft account and is unable to update security information, manage billing, or verify active subscriptions.

Before you start

Identify whether the account is a 'Work or School' account managed via a centralized Microsoft Entra admin center, or a standard 'Personal' Microsoft account that was used for business purposes.

Solution 1Recommended

Recover via Microsoft Entra Admin Center (Work or School Accounts)

Best for enterprise or business environments where a Microsoft 365 administrator retains global admin privileges over the tenant.

If your organization uses official Work or School accounts, a Global Administrator can easily reset access without needing the former employee's phone or email.

Sign in to Admin Center

Go to the Microsoft Entra admin center and log in using an active Global Administrator account.

Locate the Employee Account

Navigate to 'Users' and select 'All users' from the left sidebar, then search for and click on the departed employee's account profile.

Reset Password and Revoke Sessions

Click 'Reset password' to generate a temporary password for immediate access, and then click 'Revoke sessions' to force sign-out from any devices the employee may still possess.

Update Authentication Methods

Navigate to the 'Authentication methods' section to remove the former employee's phone number or authenticator app, and set up a new multi-factor authentication (MFA) method for the new manager.

Recover via Microsoft Entra Admin Center (Work or School Accounts)

Solution 2

Use the Standard Account Recovery Form (Personal Accounts)

Use this method if the business subscription was purchased under a standard personal Microsoft account by the former employee.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Switch to WPS Office for Hassle-Free Business Document Management

If Microsoft 365 account recovery proves too complex or costly, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for businesses looking to create and manage documents without rigid subscription barriers.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your business devices.
2. Install the Suite: Run the installer and follow the brief setup wizard to equip your team with the new software.
3. Open Existing Documents: Open your team's existing .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files directly in WPS Office without any formatting loss.

Completely free and lightweight Office suite alternative for businesses.Seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.No complicated admin centers—save files locally or to your preferred cloud.Familiar user interface ensuring a zero-learning-curve transition for your team.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to the Microsoft 365 subscription if the account cannot be recovered?

If account recovery fails, the subscription will continue to bill the credit card on file. You will need to contact your bank or credit card provider directly to block future charges from Microsoft.

Can I transfer the Microsoft 365 subscription to a new company account?

Microsoft generally does not allow direct transfers of subscriptions between accounts. You must recover the original account, cancel its recurring billing, and purchase a new subscription on a centralized company account.

How can I prevent losing access to business subscriptions in the future?

Avoid using an individual employee's personal email or phone number for company accounts. Use a shared admin email address and ensure multiple trusted administrators have access to the Microsoft 365 admin portal and its recovery information.

Login & Account Issues