Why am I being asked to enter a code sent to another iPhone meanwhile I have already removed all the devices my Apple ID was logged into

Posted on Jul 19, 2023 4:04 PM

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two-factor authentication question I now get daily requests from Apple, both on my iPhone and every Mac I use in my household, to set up two-factor authentication (2FA) for my accounts. Even now when I logged in to this forum to ask this question, I was first diverted to a page on which I had to say that I do not want to activate this feature for my account. I did activate 2FA once and then cancelled it, because it was still in the 2 week window from activation. Here is the issue I had with 2FA. Perhaps someone has some idea how this problem could be avoided. Some years ago I activated 2FA just before setting up a new iPhone. While setting up the iPhone a code was sent to my "other device" while I was setting up the iPhone. That was a problem, because I have a very large number of active devices linked to my account in my household (one other iPhone, 4 iPads, more than 4 Macs of various kinds), some of them turned off, some of them at another location used by my family members, so not all of them in my immediate proximity to be looked at and checked if they received the code or not. I basically could not figure out where the code went. The message I received only said that the code was on my "other device" with no indication which one of my other devices received the code. I could not set up the iPhone. I was fortunately within the 2 week cancellation period for the 2FA. I cancelled it and set up my iPhone when the 2FA was turned off for the account. My guess is that this 2FA issue will not be a problem for me as long as I have the iPhone available and I am setting up another device, but when my main iPhone (I also have an older model as back up that is mostly not used and is off) is changed and I try to set it up with use of 2FA, it will definitely be a problem for me. For this reason I have never again set up 2FA and will not be able to do it until this issue is resolved. So here is the question: How do I control where this code is sent, when it will not go to my iPhone? Is there an option to choose where the code is sent, another phone number, another email address (I have 3 different ones registered with Apple), anything I can access with certainty other than a code that is briefly displayed on the screen of a device that is not with me or not turned on at the moment? Banks and email accounts that I have 2FA set up for usually give several options where and how the code will be sent. Why is Apple not giving the same option to send the code to a definitive location that we can select from a list that we have set up ourselves? Thank you.
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1 reply

Eric_G1

Community Specialist

Jul 20, 2023 5:06 PM in response to nba226

Hello nba226,

This page can assist with providing some helpful information regarding getting a verification code to sign in with two-factor authentication: Get a verification code and sign in with two-factor authentication - Apple Support

If you're in possession of a trusted device that the Apple ID is signed in on you may use Settings/System Settings on that device to generate a code. The steps below will be for iOS but the page will have it for macOS as well:

"If your device is online:

Go to Settings > [your name].
Tap Password & Security > Get Verification Code.

On iPhone, tap Get Verification Code

If your device is offline:

Go to Settings > [your name].
Tap Password & Security.
A message says "Account Details Unavailable." Tap Get Verification Code."

This page will have a good deal of further information on two-factor authentication, including details on trusted numbers/devices: Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support

Cheers.

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Why am I being asked to enter a code sent to another iPhone meanwhile I have already removed all the devices my Apple ID was logged into

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