How to receive 2-factor sms key when iphone is lost?

Just signed up for 2-factor authentication login...and when I was verifying my iphone, apple recommended verifying my phone number also.(in addition to my iphone itself). I know this is confusing. The verbage said if I lost my iphone they could still send me a sms text with a verification key using my phone number. So, my question is, if I lost my iphone and could not get a verification key for login using the iphone, how would apple send me a sms text? This is probably a simple answer but it sure is hard to explain. Any takers?



iOS 7.0.2

Posted on Oct 18, 2013 5:40 PM

Reply
8 replies

Oct 23, 2013 9:24 AM in response to Travel-er

My mistake. Here you go:


Apple ID: Frequently asked questions about two-step verification for Apple ID


Apple ID: Can't sign in with two-step verification


To summarize the above, you need at least two of the following:


  • your Apple ID password
  • a trusted device (defined as one capable of using Find My iPhone or SMS)
  • your 14 digit recovery key


If you lose two of the above, there is no recovery:


"If you lose access to two of these three items at the same time, you could be locked out of your Apple ID account permanently.

In addition, with two-step verification turned on, only you can reset your password, manage your trusted devices, or create a new recovery key.

Apple Support can help you with other aspects of your service, but they will not be able to update or recover these three things on your behalf."

Oct 23, 2013 8:26 PM in response to John Galt

Thank you for the help. I think I understand, sortof, what's got me confused is when I setup my iphone as a trusted device using find my iphone, it then asked for my iphones phone number for sms text messeges "in case I lost my iPhone". Apple recommends having at least one sms capable phone as a trusted device, so, the iPhone can do the verification either way...find my iphone or sms text. (but if I loose it I can't do either, right?) Thank you for the help.

Oct 23, 2013 8:36 PM in response to Travel-er

Travel-er wrote:


... it then asked for my iphones phone number for sms text messeges "in case I lost my iPhone". Apple recommends having at least one sms capable phone as a trusted device, so, the iPhone can do the verification either way...find my iphone or sms text. (but if I loose it I can't do either, right?)


That's a good point. The system is far from perfect.

Mar 6, 2014 11:40 AM in response to Travel-er

You can register multiple cellphones as trusted devices to receive the 2-factor access code. For example, you could register your iPhone (which can receive SMS messages) and another SMS-capable phone (belonging to wife, husband, trusted friend, parent, etc). Should you lose your iPhone, you'll have a fallback, though with some inconvenience as you'd need to track down the person with the other phone in order to log in to your account. Your security won't be compromised as long as that trusted person doesn't know your AppleID password.


If you have multiple phones registered as trusted devices, the AppleID website will ask you which one should receive the SMS code when you attempt to log in to your AppleID account (after having entered the correct password).

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How to receive 2-factor sms key when iphone is lost?

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