Account not eligible: unable to add security keys and recovery key

Question

Account not eligible: unable to add security keys and recovery key

I have an iPhone 11 from work, and I recently decided to create a new Apple ID account for it because I want to keep my personal and work related devices on separate accounts. With my personal account I was able to add both security keys and a recovery key without any issues. However, with the new work account I get the following error message when I try to add security keys:

Cannot add Security Keys

Your account is not eligible to add security keys.

And the following message when I try to add a recovery key:

Account not Eligible

Your account in not eligible to use a recovery key.

Why is my account not eligible to add security keys and a recovery key? There is nothing in the articles about security keys and recovery keys from Apple that says why an account might not be eligible. Could this have something to do with me using my work email to create the Apple ID?

iPhone 11

Posted on Jan 27, 2023 1:56 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 14, 2023 3:38 AM in response to user4790

Yeah, it was a brand new AppleID that I only used on one iPhone, and I created it with my laptop on appleid.apple.com. To fix the issue I signed out of the AppleID on the phone where I experienced the issues and signed in on another phone that I had. On that phone I was able to add my security keys and create a recovery key. After that I signed out from the AppleID and signed back in on the phone that originally had the issues.

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Answer 2

WheelieNick

Level 8

46,341 points

Jan 27, 2023 2:48 PM in response to error_pacifier

You can check settings>general>vpn and device management to see if there is a company profile installed

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Answer 3

Feb 14, 2023 3:04 AM in response to user4790

I was in contact with support, and they said I should try to sign in to my AppleID on another iPhone to try to add my security keys. That worked, so if you have another iPhone on hand you should try that.

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Answer 4

WheelieNick

Level 8

46,341 points

Jan 27, 2023 2:33 PM in response to error_pacifier

Is your iPhone controlled by your work? Maybe your system admin is banning the use of security keys on your work iPhone?

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Answer 5

Jan 27, 2023 2:42 PM in response to WheelieNick

Technically, the iPhone is not mine but belongs to another family member. I simply helped set up an account using the company email of the company where said family member works. I don't think it's controlled by the IT department, although I'm not sure. Is there any way to check that short of asking them?

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Answer 6

user4790

Level 1

18 points

Feb 14, 2023 3:29 AM in response to error_pacifier

So if I understand your case correctly. You‘ve created a new AppleID linked only to your one iPhone. The recovery key did not work. As soon as you add another Apple device to your account you were able to turn on the recovery key, right?

As I’m only having one Apple device linked to my AppleID, maybe this could be the problem?

Or did you remove your iPhone from your AppleID before you added it to a separate Apple device?

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