I cannot activate the functionality to log in using the Apple Watch. When I check the checkbox I only get a message stating that I needed to activate the 2 factor authentication. But it is already activated. Is someone else also experiencing this issue?
Thanks
Oli
iMac
What model iMac do you have?
It's an iMac Retina 5K 27" (ultimo 2014 – as "About this Mac" tells me know 😁 )
There is a difference between 2 step authentication and 2 factor authentication. Make sure you have 2 factor enabled, not 2 step.
What's the difference? When I log in to appleid.apple.com I see that "two step verification" is activated. There is no option for two factor authentication. How do I activate it?
Ok, after some research I found out what the difference is. But unfortunately it seems as if the 2 factor authentication is not yet available in Germany (or at least my region?)... dang.
I even disabled the 2 step verification to see if the 2 factor authentication option would appear, but it didn't. Instead I had to setup all my devices again for iMessage and Facetime 😠
Highly frustrating that Apple is advertising this feature even though it is not possible to use it in all regions of the world, even if the hardware is supported.
I'm in the US and I have 2 factor authentication and while I see when I tap on my keyboard, it is trying to login with my Apple Watch, but it fails and I have to type my password.
Any suggestions?
2-factor (if it's available to you) is available in the iCloud sys prefs (on your Mac and iPhone, under your account details, then security).
You won't find the 'two-factor' option on the AppleId web site - this confused me for a while too.
To turn on the newer "two factor" authentication, go the iCloud system preference on your mac, click "account details" then "security". You can also do it on your phone in relatively the same place.
But then it still might not work. When I finally got two-factor turned on, the option to use the watch to unlock the mac disappeared. There's some trick to getting it to come back, but that part I haven't figured out yet (some people suggest rebooting all devices, some suggest logging out of icloud on the mac and logging back in). My guess is that it just takes some time for all the pieces to sync back up.
I also have the same confusion. What is or are the differences between two-factor authentication and two-step verification?
I also do not see anything to allow me to turn on two-factor authentication after I have turned off two-step verification.
Why is it required to turn off two-step verification in order to turn on two-factor authentication when there is nothing on Apple help site providing instructions for two-factor authentication? This is like a recursive error, and it is very confusing.
I tried this already, but there it also just says "2 step verification is turned on". But thanks anyhow for the tip!
I found a website which explained the difference. Two step and two factor authentication are almost the same. Two factor authentication is newer than two step and apparently uses a 6 digit verification code instead of 4. Also, with two factor authentication the application specific passwords are no longer available. Instead, one has to add a 6 digit code at the end of one's iCloud password. But still I don't see how to enable it.
http://blog.elcomsoft.com/2016/04/apple-two-factor-authentication-vs-two-step-ve rification/
On the website it states: "At this time, two-factor authentication availability is still limited to some regions; the method will roll out slowly to all regions."
So I guess that it is not yet available in my region or country. Or it is just not working.
In my case, restarting the watch made it work.
Ok, I finally figured it out! I went to the appleid.apple.com website and there I disabled the two step verification. Afterwards, I went to the iCloud system preferences on my Mac, and there to the account details > security preferences. And there it finally was – the option to turn on two factor authentication. I don't know why you have to turn off two step verification first, and why the two factor authentication is not available on the appleid website. This is just confusion. Incredible!
Even with two factor authentication enabled it will only work sometimes in my experience so far. I turned it on as soon as Sierra was available yesterday and I have 1 watch login so far, this against 15 times entering my password.
Login using Apple Watch not working
