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"approve this iphone"

I keep getting a message that says "approve this iPhone - go to one of your other devices signed into icloud to approve this iPhone." When I sign into icloud on another device, there is no option to approve, only a list of devices

iPhone 6s Plus

Posted on Dec 23, 2016 2:57 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 24, 2017 11:02 PM

I just upgraded my iPhone 6s to 10.3.3 and after the reboot, there were "several more steps" to complete. I successfully entered my Apple ID and password. Now the screen displays:

Approve This iPhone

Go to one of your other devices signed in to iCloud to approve this iPhone... Waiting for approval.

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I am signed in to iCloud on my computer, but I can not find any option to approve my iPhone. My iPhone is listed under devices, but the only option is to "Remove" it. My phone is not receiving text messages for the dual verification. Thankfully it can still receive a phone call for the verification code.

Help!!

26 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Sep 24, 2017 11:02 PM in response to BreeZee_17

I just upgraded my iPhone 6s to 10.3.3 and after the reboot, there were "several more steps" to complete. I successfully entered my Apple ID and password. Now the screen displays:

Approve This iPhone

Go to one of your other devices signed in to iCloud to approve this iPhone... Waiting for approval.

---

I am signed in to iCloud on my computer, but I can not find any option to approve my iPhone. My iPhone is listed under devices, but the only option is to "Remove" it. My phone is not receiving text messages for the dual verification. Thankfully it can still receive a phone call for the verification code.

Help!!

Sep 26, 2017 1:57 PM in response to slynncotten

Hello,


Has there been any recent updates to this question?


For me it seems to have started ever since I turned on 2-factor authentication to try to have my iCloud calendar sync on my Windows 10 laptop. I noticed a red notification indicator on the settings icon (thinking it was a another Apple update) on my iPhone 7 Plus. But it was to approve the iPhone. I've tried the instructions others have mentioned but I'm still having the same issue. I do have an iPad (2nd Gen), but nothing came up when I was on my phone waiting for something to happen. However, when I tried to turn off Keychain on my iPad, I followed the steps, entered my password and such, the on/off switch went back to the on position on it's own. 😕 So it didn't actually turn Keychain off. Keychain is disabled on my iPhone. Following thread to see if there are any updates.

Oct 1, 2017 5:50 AM in response to slynncotten

Same. I just upgraded (not exactly happily) to 11.0.1 on my iphone SE. I was prompted to "approve this iphone" but there is no prompt on my laptop and I can't find anyplace to do so in iCloud. I also have the notification on my phone but when I tap Apple ID Settings it just makes me enter my passcode, then takes me to the same "waiting for approval" page with the infuriating spinning wheel.


I tried the Keychain solution but before I can access Keychain it wants me to -- you'll never guess this -- Approve This iPhone!!


Also following for updates.

Oct 3, 2017 2:47 AM in response to BreeZee_17

I followed your steps which made me turn on my iCloud Keychain in my iPhone. However, it went back to the "Approve this iPhone". So this did not help at all.


Also, you mentioned that iCloud Keychain should have been previously set-up on my other device. Is that correct? This is the first time I'm hearing about this Keychain thing. Which means I don't have any device that has this Keychain set-up. What are my other options in approving my iPhone?

Oct 18, 2017 7:48 AM in response to slynncotten

I too am having this issue. Has anyone worked out a fix yet?


I have even reset my itunes password, logged out all of my devices, re started, downloaded the latest update and still nothing - just the wheel of death asking me to approve this iphone.....


Your help in fixing this is much appreciated as it is starting to really annoy me and i'm about one update away from chucking my iphone and buying an android or something...


Regards

Oct 19, 2017 3:46 PM in response to Shawn1726

Sorry not very helpful reply. My daughter had the same problem on her iPhone 6s, she has child Apple ID and it doesn’t stop her from purchasing things with permission. She is signed in to apple sharing, so I don’t understand how can you approve her keychain stuck with the same message waiting for approval - from who?

On my and my husband iPhone 6s Plus I don’t have this issue, even with latest software update!

Something has gone wrong somewhere

Oct 20, 2017 9:07 AM in response to slynncotten

I also had this problem for days after updating my iPhone. I resolved it by first resetting the keychain on my computer. With the keychain reset, I was prompted to input a new 4 digit numeric security code. I then turned on the iCloud keychain on my iPhone, and was prompted to input that 4 digit keychain security code. After inputting the code, the endlessly spinning approval prompt disappeared. Fingers crossed that other issues will not crop up as a result of the keychain reset on my computer!

Jan 5, 2018 1:12 AM in response to slynncotten

I had this question after I just updated to the latest version of iPhone and I just got it resolved! ( sorry you may have already resolved the problem, but I hope this will be useful to the newbies, like me).

you need to TURN OFF the two factor authentification


  1. Sign in to https://appleid.apple.com
  2. Scroll to security ( now here they make it look like you can’t turn it off) and click edit
  3. Click “turn-off Two-Factor authentication” then confirm and click done
  4. It will ask you to set up new security questions, and blablabla - THEN YOU ARE SAVED!


I have pictures on how to perform the steps on my blog, which is my username followed by a dot com.

Jan 7, 2018 6:28 PM in response to slynncotten

Hey everyone!

So I recently had this problem when I upgraded from 7 to the X, and it has been bothering me for weeks. After logging into my iCloud, messing with my settings and what not. I finally figured out how to turn off that annoying notification of approving the iPhone.

First off, on your device, you go to the Settings and just underneath your Apple ID, there's a random tab that is NEVER there, and it's saying you need to approve the device. Click it, and run it's course. Once it pops up saying you have to approve it on another iCloud device, in the bottom left hand corner, there should be some text there (for some odd reason I couldn't read what it said because it was cut off), click on it. It says you cannot confirm the device, and it resets the iCloud keychain feature. Then poof, the notification goes away. Next time you go into your settings, do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, click on the keychain feature. With that feature, you have to have 2 devices (iPad and iPhone, or 2 iPhones) to complete that feature, all signed into the same Apple ID (I'm assuming, I could be wrong). But it does take that pesky notification off.

I truly hope it helps others like it did me. I never experienced that before and just fiddling around with it, I was able to turn it off. I hope y'all have a wonderful year!

Jan 9, 2018 8:09 PM in response to slynncotten

So I just had to deal with this, What I did was to go to setting and go to iCloud, turn on my keychain, then try and approve my phone. When it’s approving it’s trying to search for signal from your other devices and if that keychain isn’t on it won’t find it. After that it will take a minute or two to boot up and you should be good.


hope this helps.

Jan 23, 2018 7:24 PM in response to slynncotten

Ok, my issue was solved, I upgraded but it wasn't a new device, it was my wife's 7Plus after she upgraded. I had the same issue it just kept saying to approve this device, it was on my devices but still in the loop. As soon as I had her remove the device from her account, I got the notification that a new device wanted to use my iCloud account. Just make sure if it is used that someone has removed this device from their account first.

Feb 12, 2018 10:00 PM in response to Texbaberuth

Did the update on my son's devices at the same time, so both were giving the same "Approve this device from another device" message. I had to log into his iCloud account from my laptop in order to turn off "2 factor authentication" as you mentioned above, and once I got it turned off and security questions set up, his two devices were working again! I plan on taking these devices to the Apple store and have them explain to me what the heck was up with that whole hot mess. Because that was ridiculous. And the keychain suggestions did nothing.

"approve this iphone"

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