What if an MFA device is lost or stops working?

If your virtual MFA device or hardware TOTP token appears to be functioning properly, but you can't use it to access your AWS resources, it might be out of synchronization with AWS. For information about synchronizing a virtual MFA device or hardware MFA device, see Resynchronizing virtual and hardware MFA devices. FIDO security keys do not go out of sync.

If your AWS account root user multi-factor authentication (MFA) device is lost, damaged, or not working, you can recover access to your account. IAM users must contact an administrator to deactivate the device.

Important

We recommend that you enable multiple MFA devices for your IAM users to ensure continued access to your account in case of lost or inaccessible MFA device. You can register up to eight MFA devices of any combination of the currently supported MFA types with your AWS account root user and IAM users.

Recovering a root user MFA device

If your AWS account root user multi-factor authentication (MFA) device is lost, damaged, or not working, you can sign in using another MFA device registered to the same AWS account root user. If the root user only has one MFA device enabled, you can use alternative methods of authentication. This means that if you can't sign in with your MFA device, you can sign in by verifying your identity using the email and the primary contact phone number registered with your account.

Before you use alternative factors of authentication to sign in as a root user, you must be able to access the email and primary contact phone number that are associated with your account. If you need to update the primary contact phone number, you can sign in as an IAM user with Administrator access instead of the root user. For additional instructions on updating the account contact information, see Editing contact information in the AWS Billing User Guide. If you do not have access to an email and primary contact phone number, you must contact AWS Support.

Important

We recommend that you keep the email address and contact phone number linked to your root user up to date for a successful account recovery. For more information, see Update the primary contact for your AWS account in the AWS Account Management Reference Guide.

To sign in using alternative factors of authentication as an AWS account root user

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console as the account owner by choosing Root user and entering your AWS account email address. On the next page, enter your password.

2. On the Additional verification required page, select an MFA method to authenticate with and choose Next.

   Note

   You might see alternative text, such as Sign in using MFA, Troubleshoot your authentication device, or Troubleshoot MFA, but the functionality is the same. If you can't use alternative factors of authentication to verify your account email address and primary contact phone number, contact AWS Support to deactivate your MFA device.

3. Depending on the type of MFA you are using, you will see a different page, but the Troubleshoot MFA option functions the same. On the Additional verification required page or Multi-factor authentication page, choose Troubleshoot MFA.

4. If required, type your password again and choose Sign in.

5. On the Troubleshoot your authentication device page, in the Sign in using alternative factors of authentication section, choose Sign in using alternative factors.

6. On the Sign in using alternative factors of authentication page, authenticate your account by verifying the email address, choose Send verification email.

7. Check the email that is associated with your AWS account for a message from Amazon Web Services ([e-mail]). Follow the directions in the email.

   If you don't see the email in your account, check your spam folder, or return to your browser and choose Resend the email.

8. After you verify your email address, you can continue authenticating your account. To verify your primary contact phone number, choose Call me now.

9. Answer the call from AWS and, when prompted, enter the 6-digit number from the AWS website on your phone keypad.

   If you don't receive a call from AWS, choose Sign in to sign in to the console again and start over. Or see Lost or unusable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) device to contact support for help.

10. After you verify your phone number, you can sign in to your account by choosing Sign in to the console.

11. The next step varies depending on the type of MFA you are using:

    • For a virtual MFA device, remove the account from your device. Then go to the AWS Security Credentials page and delete the old MFA virtual device entity before you create a new one.

    • For a FIDO security key, go to the AWS Security Credentials page and deactivate the old FIDO security key before enabling a new one.

    • For a hardware TOTP token, contact the third-party provider for help fixing or replacing the device. You can continue to sign in using alternative factors of authentication until you receive your new device. After you have the new hardware MFA device, go to the AWS Security Credentials page and delete the old MFA hardware device entity before you create a new one.

    Note

    You don't have to replace a lost or stolen MFA device with the same type of device. For example, if you break your FIDO security key and order a new one, you can use virtual MFA or a hardware TOTP token until you receive a new FIDO security key.

Important

If your MFA device is missing or stolen, after signing in using alternative factors of authentication and establishing your replacement MFA device, change your root user password in case an attacker has stolen the authentication device and might also have your current password. For more information, see Change the password for the AWS account root user in the AWS Account Management Reference Guide.

Recovering an IAM user MFA device

If you are an IAM user and your device is lost or stops working, you can't recover it by yourself. You must contact an administrator to deactivate the device. Then you can enable a new device.

To get help for an MFA device as an IAM user

1. Contact the AWS administrator or other person who gave you the user name and password for the IAM user. The administrator must deactivate the MFA device as described in Deactivating MFA devices so that you can sign in.

2. The next step varies depending on the type of MFA you are using:

   • For a virtual MFA device, remove the account from your device. Then enable the virtual device as described in Enabling a virtual multi-factor authentication (MFA) device (console).

   • For a FIDO security key, contact the third-party provider for help replacing the device. When you receive the new FIDO security key, enable it as described in Enabling a FIDO security key (console).

   • For a hardware TOTP token, contact the third-party provider for help fixing or replacing the device. After you have the new physical MFA device, enable the device as described in Enabling a hardware TOTP token (console).

   Note

   You don't have to replace a lost or stolen MFA device with the same type of device. You can have up to eight MFA devices of any combination. For example, if you break your FIDO security key and order a new one, you can use virtual MFA or a hardware TOTP token until you receive a new FIDO security key.

3. If your MFA device is missing or stolen, also change your password in case an attacker has stolen the authentication device and might also have your current password. For more information, see Managing passwords for IAM users