Windows 10: my account was locked and could not verify using my phone number and was told "try another...

my account was locked and could not verify using my phone number and was told "try another verification method" My account is *** Email address is removed for privacy *** cell phone number 082272978317 Please Microsoft Support, help me to get my account back. I have also filled in the Recover your account link live.com and have also recovered by changing the password

:)

 

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!

 

Suspended Account

Something similar happened to me. I set up a computer for a family member and when logging in on a secondary MS acct for support purposes, I incorrectly typed my password and was then asked to enter a code texted to a last 4 nos. that I didn't realize was a 2nd phone that I used for 2-step verification. So when I said that wasn't my backup number, the acct was auto-locked for 30 days, nothing to do but wait. At least the family member had a Local Account and was able to use the device until I was re-instated, whereupon I was able to sign-in and verify my 2nd step in the verification process.
If you used your land line as the 2nd step, I'm afraid, you're, likewise, locked out until the 30 day period is over. By then, either get a secondary email acct, as suggested, or a burner phone that takes texts so you're VERY clear as to what your 2nd verification option is. This is a case where having a Local Acct with admin privileges would be invaluable. Good Luck with your efforts.

 

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/...