Microsoft asks for a phone number: Outlook and Microsoft accounts

Microsoft asks for a phone number in a few places: sometimes when you create an Outlook or Microsoft account, to check you’re a person; when you add security info to an account; and when a sign-in looks unusual and it wants to confirm it’s you.

Creating an account

If the sign-up asks you to verify with a phone number, use one that can receive a text. Microsoft decides when to ask; some sign-ups show a puzzle instead.

Security info: an email works too

Microsoft lets you add an alternate email address as security info, not only a phone number. Add an email you control, and the Microsoft Authenticator app, so you have ways back in that don’t depend on a number. You’ll find them in your Microsoft account’s security settings.

Using a one-time number

If you need a number for one code and would rather not use your own, ours cost $1, and the $1 goes back to your balance if no code arrives within 20 minutes. Get a number for Microsoft. Because it can’t receive codes later, add an email and the Authenticator app as security info straight away, then remove the number from your security info so Microsoft never tries to send a code there.