I was trying to work through the process of accessing icloud to wipe my iphone if it got lost or stolen rather than wait until it actually got lost and having to figure it out in an urgent situation. I noticed a critical problem. I couldn’t access icloud until I entered the code it sent to my phone. But how do I do that if my phone was lost or stolen?? How do we get around that issue?
Having the code sent to someone else, at least provides the option of getting the code. Unless you are entirely alone and cannot call anyone else at all, it would be an option. Its also a secondary option to getting a code to another trusted device you may have.
Codes are automatically sent to other trusted devices you may have, like an iPad, Apple Watch or Mac logged in to your Apple ID. If you don't have any of these and cannot call anyone, then yes you are in trouble. But at least that provides an option and having the option is not a bad thing. Whether you can or not contact someone else when you need to get a code is a different consideration.
If you have neither of these alternatives, then there's no reasonable way to get a code, that would not in and of itself put at risk your account.
Thanks for number 1, but I dont see how number 2 would be practical. Most people don’t carry a second device with a second number and most people don’t have a home land line anymore. Also if I were to use for example a family members number as the trusted number that person may not be nearby and since my phone is not with me I would have no way to contact them to get the code. I believe, correct me if I am wrong, that Apple sends the code to your phone for other things as well and having to call a family member to get the code from them in those situations would be pretty convenient
Log in at iCloud.com/find.
How to access icloud if phone is lost
