lost password and cant reset because never updated to correct phonenumber

Hey there! Nice to meet you!

Since your girlfriend does not have access to her verification method (recovery phone number) for a password reset, I'm afraid the only way to recover/unblock the account is through the account recovery web form: https://account.live.com/acsr

Important: If she has an active 2FA, ACSR will inform her that her recovery request will be ignored. If she only receives a message that the recovery request is either successful or indicates insufficient information, this means that 2FA is disabled.

She'll need to keep trying until she is verified by Microsoft, and she can do this up to 2 times every 24 hours.

If she didn't receive the results from the account recovery webform, please try submitting another request via Incognito/InPrivate window and using different devices and network services. Then please check her email inbox, junk, and spam folders.

If her Microsoft account recovery request was not granted, please review this link for tips on improving her chances of a successful recovery: https://support.microsoft.com/office/dc56c3e3-dff0-4ed5-8edb-60290eea6b53

Please be advised that Microsoft Support will not be able to assist with manual recovery, unblock, and escalation for this case, as stated in this article, that they are not permitted to send password resets, access, or even change any details on the account:

https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/help-with-the-microsoft-account-recovery-form-b19c02d1-a782-dee6-93c3-dc8113b20c42

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Darhyl

For a personal Hotmail/Outlook.com Microsoft account with an old phone number and no access to security info, only the automated recovery paths can be used. Support cannot manually verify ownership or bypass them.

Key points for this situation:

1. Use the standard password reset flow first
   • Go to Recover your account: https://account.live.com/password/reset
   • Enter the Hotmail address and follow the prompts.
   • Make sure the correct domain is used (for example, @hotmail.com vs a country domain like @outlook.co.uk).
   • If there are any other aliases (another email or phone) on the account, try those as the sign‑in name as well.
2. When security code options are not usable
   • If the listed phone/email options are all inaccessible, choose “I don’t have any of these” (when offered). This sends you to the Microsoft account recovery form (ACSR) at https://account.live.com/acsr.
3. Maximizing the chances with the recovery form The form is the only way to prove ownership when security info is lost. To improve the odds:
   • Use a device and internet connection that were regularly used with this account.
   • Provide a working alternate email (any address that can receive mail) so Microsoft can reply, as described in Step 1 of the recovery guidance.
   • In Step 2, gather and enter as much detail as possible:
     • Old passwords used on the account.
     • Exact subject lines of messages sent from that Hotmail account (ask frequent contacts to read them back from their inboxes).
     • Email addresses of people recently contacted.
     • Approximate dates of account creation, and any changes (moves, name changes, etc.).
     • If the account was used with Skype or Xbox, details like Skype contacts or Xbox console hardware ID.
   • Answer every question and use all “add more” options. Wrong answers do not count against the request; missing information does.
   • Submit from a browser where the account was used before, if possible.
4. Handling lockouts and repeated failures
   • After multiple failed attempts, the account and the recovery form can be temporarily locked. Wait until the lockout period fully expires before trying again.
   • The form can typically be submitted multiple times per day; use that to refine answers with more precise information.
5. Hard limitation with 2‑step verification
   • If two‑step verification was enabled on this account and none of the verification methods (phone, email, authenticator, recovery codes) are accessible, Microsoft support and Q&A moderators cannot turn 2FA off or override it. In that case, the automated recovery checks are the only path; if they fail, access cannot be restored.
6. Contacting support
   • For consumer Microsoft accounts, support agents cannot see or change passwords or security info, and cannot accept screenshots as proof of ownership. They can only guide through the same recovery process.
   • If needed, sign in with any other Microsoft account (or create a new one) and use the Contact support options under Microsoft account & billing to ask for help with the recovery form itself, but they still cannot unlock the account without a successful automated verification.

If repeated, carefully completed recovery form attempts continue to fail and there is no working security info or 2FA method, there is no supported way to regain access to that Hotmail account or its stored emails/files.

References:

• My username and password have stopped working
• Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• I need to speak with a real person and it seems impossible. - Microsoft Q&A
• hello my email was (Moderator note: PII removed)@icloud.com and now its (Moderator note: PII removed)@jerkoffmail.com can please someone help me and the team change it my username in xbox is (Moderator note: PII removed) please help me team and change it - Microsoft Q&A
• Can't sign in to my email - Microsoft Q&A
• Unable to change password in my Outlook - Microsoft Q&A
• Help with "phone number is already used" in a Microsoft account