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Approve this iPhone ... Waiting for approval. I cannot approve it, nor does it let me turn off 2FA.

Once I updated the iOS on my old iPhone 5S it forced me to turn on 2FA.

I cannot turn it off any more that is not an option.

Both my iPhone and macbook pro (2017) are stuck in the loop of

Approve this Phone ... Waiting for approval ...

Go to one of your other devices ... Waiting for approval ...


How can I break this loop and get my devices approved?

Thanks.

MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on Sep 1, 2019 7:19 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 1, 2019 1:24 PM

If you see a password box, enter the password (ABC) followed by the code (123) or ABC123 (no spaces).


On the phone, what happens if you click Can't Approve? If it says you must reset encrypted data, multiple people have posted they did that with little to no data loss and it fixed the problem.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 1, 2019 1:24 PM in response to Andraas

If you see a password box, enter the password (ABC) followed by the code (123) or ABC123 (no spaces).


On the phone, what happens if you click Can't Approve? If it says you must reset encrypted data, multiple people have posted they did that with little to no data loss and it fixed the problem.

Sep 1, 2019 12:58 PM in response to Eric Root

I can get a verification code both on the iPhone and the macbook pro, but there is no single place where it says approve these devices, on icloud they both show up that I am signed in to both, but in the settings/icloud they both say I need to still verify them.


iPhone > Settings >Update Apple ID Settings

I type in my apple ID password

I type in my iPhone passcode


gets to a page where it says:

Approve this iPhone

Go to one of your other devices signed into iCloud

(ok I will go to my macbook) to approve this iPhone

progress indicator

Waiting for approval

only options I have are

  • Cancel
  • Can't approve this iPhone


I can go to system preferences > iCloud on the macbook

it still has Update Apple ID Settings

but I can go to Account Details and Security and request a verification code but there is nowhere to enter that on the iphone

I can also go to Account Details and devices I see both my iPhone and macbook there but the only thing I can do to the phone is to Remove from Account there is no option called "Approve this phone"

both devices are listed as trusted

yet both have this problem in their icloud settings about approval


Tried logging in and out on both devices it does not help.

On the Security panel there is no option to turn off 2FA


If I do the same thing on the laptop, update Apple ID Settings (with a warning sign)

I enter my Apple ID

I enter my mac password


Says go to one of your other devices signed in to iCould to approve this macbook pro

waiting for approval

Only options again:

  • Cancel
  • Can't approve?


there is nowhere I could enter a verification code


On the iPhone I go into Settings > Apple ID > Password&Security

Two factor Authentication : On (can't be changed)

Phone number is correct

I can get a verification code

but there is nowhere to enter that on the macbook


I can see my devices on the phone as well, for example the macbook

I can find it in the find my iPhone

I can remove it from my account

but I cannot verify it there is no such option to verify it


Seems like a catch-22

Sep 1, 2019 2:15 PM in response to Eric Root

The password followed by the verification code did not work.

However I clicked Can't Approve and then I clicked Reset Encrypted Data and that worked for the phone.

Once that worked, I could go to the macbook pro and do the process and it changed, instead of hanging up it asked for the iPhone's passcode and then it approved the macbook as well.


Thank you for your help. This solved my issue.

Approve this iPhone ... Waiting for approval. I cannot approve it, nor does it let me turn off 2FA.

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