Unable to cancel account due to authentication requirement in Microsoft 365

The Unable to cancel account due to authentication requirement in Microsoft 365 can be considered as a common occurrence, especially for users trying to close or cancel their Microsoft 365 accounts. The error is a fallout of the security measures that might be in place to prevent any unauthorized modification of the account, considering that the 365 accounts might contain sensitive information. Hence, Microsoft 365 might have stringent authentication measures in place, failing which users may face the said error.

What causes Unable to cancel account due to authentication requirement error in Microsoft 365?

The below-mentioned causes can contribute significantly to the said error as detailed below:

1. Incomplete or improper authentication: If you don’t take the proper steps to prove you are who you say you are, Microsoft won’t let you cancel your account. They need to make sure you’re the account owner when you try to cancel.
2. Security Policies: Security Policies ensure data protection and unauthorized access. Account cancellations can be a critical operation; hence, they might be restricted to a select group of Administrators or require specific permissions to carry out the task.
3. On-premise domain accounts: On-premise domain accounts (on-premise Active Directory), as opposed to their cloud counterparts (Azure Active Directory), signify that the organization’s server is housed physically or within its infrastructure. Such accounts sometimes come with their due share of dependencies, which may toughen the cancellation process and lead to errors.
4. Password Resets: If the current password for the user has expired, they may not be able to cancel the account before resetting it. Such policies might be enforced by the System Administrators, failing which the error might occur.

Fix Unable to cancel account due to authentication requirement in Microsoft 365

The below-mentioned suggestion can help resolve the said issue:

1. Verify Account Ownership
2. Completion of the necessary authentication steps
3. Application dependency checks
4. Password Reset

You will need the help of the IT admin to execute these steps.

1] Verify Account Ownership

The first step for the error resolution would involve verifying the account ownership of the user encountering the problem. Also, checking if the concerned user has the necessary permissions or privileges to cancel the account can help resolve the error. An IT admin can do this, or you can check on your own if you can access the portal.

Read: Microsoft Authenticator: We’re sorry we ran into a problem

2] Completion of the necessary authentication steps

If you carefully go through the whole authentication process and enter the correct information, it can help fix the error. The main reason for the error is often that the user didn’t finish the authentication process correctly. So, completing the whole process correctly can solve the problem.

3] Application dependency checks

If the concerned user has any active licenses or subscriptions attached, the same might need to be canceled or reassigned before the account is canceled to avoid the error. You should talk to the administrator to see any active licenses or subscriptions.

4] Password Reset

Expired passwords need to be reset by the concerned users before proceeding with the account cancellation. The below-mentioned steps can be followed to change the Microsoft 365 password:

• Open the Office 365 Application and navigate to the My Accounts section under the Home Tab
• Click the Security and Privacy option on the left pane and select the Password option on the right.

• Enter the Old and the New Password, re-type the New Password under the Confirm Password section, and select Save to complete the process.
• Try canceling the Account and check if the same error pops up.

The resolution of the issue lies in ensuring that the user has the necessary rights to cancel the account and is following the steps suggested by the IT admin.

I hope the post was easy to understand and helped you fix the problem.

How do I turn off Microsoft authentication in Office 365?

First, access the Office 365 admin center. Once there, go to the Users section and select Active users. You’ll find the Multi-factor authentication tab in the new admin center interface. From there, pick the user you wish to turn off multi-factor authentication. Finally, on the right side of the page, under the quick steps option, click on Disable. This will deactivate multi-factor authentication for the selected user, allowing them to access their account with only a password without the additional security verification steps.

Why is Microsoft Authenticator asking for authentication?

This means entering your device PIN or using your biometric (like a fingerprint or face recognition). App Lock also adds security when you approve notifications; it ensures that only you can approve them by asking for your PIN or biometric verification every time you confirm a sign-in notification. This way, your account’s security is enhanced, and only authorized users can access it.