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Turn off two-factor authentication

How can I turn off two-factor authentication? It asks me all the time on my Mac and then to trust the browser, which I sit at all day and use every day. FFS. What is the purpose if it won't remember crap. I have other apple devices. Shouldn't that be good enough if they are in proximity rather than having to two-factor all the time? Only apple. Nothing else. No fraud. Seems overdone when I have an iPhone, Apple Watch, and Apple TV!


MacBook Air Apple Silicon

Posted on Feb 16, 2023 6:58 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 16, 2023 7:01 AM

Hello,


I see you want to disable two-factor authentication. For some background I suggest you read the document: "Two-factor authentication for Apple ID" - Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support


The statement in the support article, "If you're already using two-factor authentication with your Apple ID, you can't turn it off", can be misinterpreted as saying nobody at all can ever disable two-factor authentication, but subsequent sentences show this is not quite the case.


In practice, if two-factor authentication was activated automatically when you created your ID (basically any new account created in the last couple of years), you indeed cannot turn it off.


Some people have an older account originating before two-factor authentication was mandatory on new accounts. If you have one of those and recently activated two-factor authentication, "you can turn it off within two weeks of enrollment. If you do, your account is less secure and you can't use features that require a higher level of security."


If you did indeed recently activate two factor authentication and want to disable it, you should check for an email from Apple. If you don't see one about this, look in your junk mail folder.


3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 16, 2023 7:01 AM in response to watsonfromarlington

Hello,


I see you want to disable two-factor authentication. For some background I suggest you read the document: "Two-factor authentication for Apple ID" - Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support


The statement in the support article, "If you're already using two-factor authentication with your Apple ID, you can't turn it off", can be misinterpreted as saying nobody at all can ever disable two-factor authentication, but subsequent sentences show this is not quite the case.


In practice, if two-factor authentication was activated automatically when you created your ID (basically any new account created in the last couple of years), you indeed cannot turn it off.


Some people have an older account originating before two-factor authentication was mandatory on new accounts. If you have one of those and recently activated two-factor authentication, "you can turn it off within two weeks of enrollment. If you do, your account is less secure and you can't use features that require a higher level of security."


If you did indeed recently activate two factor authentication and want to disable it, you should check for an email from Apple. If you don't see one about this, look in your junk mail folder.


Feb 16, 2023 7:06 AM in response to Limnos

Thank you. I understand all of that. I have had two-factor for several years but have always found it annoying. I don't think there should be a practice in place that does not allow you to turn if off. Seems overhanded to me by Apple.


At least make the system work so I do not have to two-factor every time I go into icloud.com or anything else apple. I don't do that for google. I don't even do that for American Express!

Feb 16, 2023 7:16 AM in response to watsonfromarlington

Has the users Bank, Financial Institution, Government Income Tax Site or some other " Sensitive Personal Information Records " site every required sending and SMS code to Verify your Identity is really being you to a Trusted Device you have assigned to them as yours.


All the above have and do occur more and more these days.


The same principal applies to Apple Devices and Service


Security, security and more security IMHO.


Specific the AMEX - that Option is presented on my AMEX. One an iDevices - the verification is now done via Facial Recognition process


To me 2FA is ok but have my Face Tied to this - well only if I have shaved first ( humour here )

Turn off two-factor authentication

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