Windows 10: I need to change my phone number so MS can verify my account My landline is listed, not my...

When trying to sign into my account, I'm told I'll get a text message to the "number below". However, that is my landline number, not my cell phone. Obviously I can't get text messages on my landline. I've tried every which way to add my cell number but can't do it. They tell me I have to wait 30 days to change my email address but that's not what I want to do. I tried that once, but the phone number part wasn't an option.This is very frustrating. I worked with your chat for quite a while and she couldn't help.

:)

 

verify account

Microsoft account verification needs two verification methods to protect you. it's much easier to get access only to your email, especially if two-step verification is not used, than to get access both to your email and mobile or landline phone.

You don't need a mobile phone as verification method, a normal landline phone is OK, too. When setting up MS account security, selecting Call instead of Text you can enter a landline number:





In fact, it is much safer to use a landline phone instead of mobile phone as verification method. This applies especially to those users who don't use passwords on laptops and mobile phones (yes, there still are such idiot careless users). If someone gets access to both laptop or tablet and mobile phone it would be relatively easy to get access to your account.

However, if you use your home number instead as secondary verification method, the criminal would additionally need access to your home.

I am afraid that you are not going to like this: in my opinion, if an MS account owner faces the excruciating 30 day delay in getting access to his / her account after verification with only one verification method, that user can only blame him/herself for not caring about account security before it's too late.

Personally, in addition to using two-step verification and Microsoft Authenticator app, I always add at least two verification email addresses and at least one mobile and one landline phone number as verification methods in all my half a dozen or so MS accounts. It is quite impossible for me to get locked out from my accounts!

 

Want to change phone number in Microsoft account

To add a new email address or phone number as an alias:

Sign in to Manage how you sign in to Microsoft with your Microsoft account. If you’re having issues signing in to your Microsoft account, go to Microsoft account help.

Note

You may be prompted to enter your Microsoft account password, or to enter a code sent to the email address or phone number listed in your account's security information. By providing this info to us, we know the request is coming from you.

Under the Account aliases section, select either Add email or Add phone number.

If you selected Add a phone number, go to step 5. If you selected Add email, choose whether to add:

A new email address. Select Create a new email address and add it as an alias, and then follow the instructions.

A non-Microsoft email address (such as an @gmail.com or @yahoo.com email address). Select Add an existing email address as a Microsoft account alias, and then select Add alias.

After you've added the email address, you'll be asked to verify that you're the account owner:

Select Verify next to the new alias. A message is sent to the account for verification.

After you receive the message, select the included link to confirm that you own the account.

If you selected Add a phone number, follow these steps:

Select your country from the list.

Enter the phone number you want to use, and then select Next.

When you add a new phone number, we'll send a text message to that number to verify it. Enter the code from the text message, and then select Next.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/12407/...

 

How to change phone number associated with a microsoft account

Hi,

Phone number is one of your security info, which is only used to verify your identity if you're accessing sensitive personal information or if we detect a problem with your account.
To change the phone number associated with your Microsoft account, we recommend to follow the steps below:

• First, go to the
  Security basics page and sign in with your Microsoft account.
• Select Update info.
• Select Add security info. then follow the instructions to enter your email or phone number.
• We'll send a security code to that new email or phone number. Enter that security code, and press
  Next. Your new security info will appear in you list.

Check this
link for Security info & security codes.

Let us know if you need more help.