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How to Recover Your Power BI Account with a Broken MFA Phone
Question details
The user needs to regain access to their Power BI account but is unable to complete multifactor authentication (MFA) due to a broken phone.
- Product
- Microsoft Power BI / Microsoft Entra
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to sign into Power BI or Microsoft 365 services without access to the registered MFA device.
- Observed behavior
- The user is blocked from signing in because they cannot approve the MFA prompt on their broken phone.
Determine whether you are a standard user, a standard administrator, or the sole global administrator for your organization's tenant, as the recovery process differs significantly based on your role.
Request an MFA Reset from Another Global Administrator
Use this method if your organization has other IT administrators who can manage Microsoft Entra ID settings.
If your organization has multiple global administrators, any of them can reset the authentication methods for your account, allowing you to register a new device upon your next login.
Reach out to another Global Administrator within your organization and explain that your MFA device is broken.
Ask the administrator to sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center with their admin credentials.
The admin should navigate to 'Users', then select your specific user account from the list.
Under your account profile, the admin must click on 'Authentication methods' and select the 'Require re-register MFA' option.
Sign in to your Power BI account again. You will be prompted to set up MFA from scratch on your new or repaired device.
Contact Microsoft Support for Data Protection Recovery
If you are the only global administrator for your tenant and are locked out, you must contact Microsoft Support directly.
Looking for a Hassle-Free Productivity Suite? Try WPS Office
While you are waiting to recover your Microsoft admin access, consider WPS Office for your daily document needs. It's a free, lightweight, and powerful alternative to Microsoft Office that lets you work offline without complex tenant administration.
- 1. Visit the website: Go to the official WPS Office website to find the correct version for your device.
- 2. Download the installer: Click the 'Free Download' button to download the lightweight installation package.
- 3. Install and create: Run the installer and immediately start creating or editing your documents offline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can community forum moderators reset my MFA for Power BI?
No, community forum moderators do not have the administrative access or authorization to change account settings, reset MFA, or verify identities. You must contact your organization's admin or the Microsoft Data Protection team.
What if I have an alternative authentication method set up?
If you previously configured an alternative MFA method, such as a secondary email, SMS to a different phone number, or a hardware token, you can click 'Sign in another way' on the login screen to authenticate using that backup method.
How long does it take for Microsoft Support to reset an admin account?
If you are the sole global administrator, the verification process by the Data Protection team typically takes a few days. The exact timeframe depends on how quickly you can provide the required proof of identity and domain ownership.
