Recover your account credentials

Recover your account credentials on your new device

You can recover your account credentials from your cloud account, but you must first make sure that the account you're recovering doesn't exist in the Authenticator app. For example, if you're recovering your personal Microsoft account, you must make sure you don't have a personal Microsoft account already set up in the authenticator app. This check is important so we can be sure we're not overwriting or erasing an existing account by mistake.

If you've changed your phone or device and can't access your previous authenticator app, you'll need to recover your credentials to regain access to your accounts. This process ensures you can continue to use two-factor authentication (2FA) for your accounts without interruption. If you encounter issues with verification codes during this process, you may need to contact your organization's IT support to reset your MFA settings.

To recover your information 

1. On your mobile device, open the Authenticator app, and select Begin recovery. 
    
    

2. Sign into your recovery account using the personal Microsoft account you used during the backup process. Your account credentials are recovered to the new device.

If you've completely lost access to your authenticator app or phone, you can reset your multi-factor authentication (MFA) by visiting the official MFA setup website at https://aka.ms/mfasetup. This allows you to set up a new authentication method and regain access to your account.

Microsoft offers multiple alternative MFA verification options if you don't have access to your phone:

• Microsoft Authenticator app on another device
• TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password) options
• Alternative phone numbers
• Backup verification methods in the Microsoft authentication settings

After you finish your recovery, you might notice that your personal Microsoft account verification codes in the Authenticator app are different between your old and new phones. The codes are different because each device has its own unique credential, but both are valid and work while signing in using their respective phones.

If you encounter issues with verification codes during this process, check that the time on your device is accurate, as this can affect code generation. For incorrect verification codes, ensure you're using the correct authenticator app for the specific account. If you're not receiving VPN verification codes after upgrading your device, try these troubleshooting steps:

• Update your contact information in the authentication system
• Remove your old account from authentication apps and re-add it on your new device
• Verify that your phone number is correctly configured in the system
• Ensure notifications are enabled for the authentication app

If you're signed out of your authenticator app and can't access VPN, contact your organization's IT support team to request an MFA reset. You can then use the official MFA setup link (https://aka.ms/mfasetup) to reconfigure your multi-factor authentication and verify your access after completing the setup.

Recover accounts requiring more verification

If you use push notifications with your personal or work or school accounts, you'll get an on-screen alert that says you must provide additional verification before you can recover your information. Because push notifications require using a credential that's tied to your specific device and never sent over the network, you must prove your identity before the credential is created on your device. 

For personal Microsoft accounts, you can prove your identity by entering your password along with an alternate email or phone number. For work or school accounts, you must scan a QR code given to you by your account provider. 

To provide more verification for personal accounts 

3. In the Accounts screen of the Authenticator app, tap the account you want to recover to open the full screen view of the account. 
    
    

4. Tap the tile for the account you're recovering and then tap the option to sign in to recover. Enter your password and then confirm your email address or phone number as additional verification. 
    
    

To provide more verification for work or school accounts 

5. In the Accounts screen of the Authenticator app, tap the account you want to recover to open the full screen view of the account. 
    
    

6. In the full screen view, tap the option to scan a QR code to fully recover.