I lost my recovery key and can't remember my password

If you were using 2-step verification with your AppleID, and you forgot both your password, and never saved your recovery key somewhere, then you will not be able to recover your AppleID (and Apple can do nothing to change that for you at that point)

See - Two-step verification for Apple ID - Apple Support, in particular the section:

What do I need to remember when I use two-step verification?

Two-step verification simplifies and strengthens the security of your Apple ID. After you turn it on, there's no way for anyone to access and manage your account other than by using your password, verification codes sent to your trusted devices, or your Recovery Key. 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 aren't able to update or recover these three things for you. When you use two-step verification, you are responsible for:

• Remembering your password
• Keeping your trusted devices physically secure
• Keeping your Recovery Key in a safe place

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

Security aspect is one thing and being user friendly is another

This is simple harassment to a genuine customer in the name of security

Your frustration is understood. However, this is not harassment in any way.

You asked Apple to do this. They acted on your direction to add 2 Step Verification to your Apple ID..

How is this warning, given when you created your recovery key, not user friendly?

I am sorry you have lost your account.

You really don't understand. It is IMPOSSIBLE for Apple to help you in this situation. When you enabled 2 step verification you agreed to take total responsibility for your security. Apple's systems are designed so that if you have 2SV enabled no one at Apple has access to your account. This is for several reasons:

• It's always possible that there's a rogue employee who might want to hack you.
• It's always possible that an Apple representative could be "social engineered" to give access to an imposter. (That's probably how Jennifer Lawrence's account was compromised).
• Law enforcement might come to Apple with a warrant and say "give me access to this account."

With 2 step verification enabled none of these can happen, because Apple does not know your password, cannot change your password, and there is no way to access your account information without it.

How is Apple to blame when they explain the process when you enable it, and make it very clear that account recovery will be entirely up to you? People want privacy and personal security of their information. Well, you cannot have that if the company itself can circumvent your own passwords and security systems or has built in second tier recovery systems.

You cannot have true personal security and privacy, and still pass the buck off to someone else to recover your accounts for you. Those two things are completely incompatible.

Apple has very deliberately offered systems that they cannot breach, placing 100% of the responsibility for the account security in the individual's control. I and many others like that. I do not want Apple to be able to recovery, or be able to help anyone else, recover my account(s) with them. But, that does mean I must accept 100% resonponsibility for keeping my account security information safe and accessible.

To me, that is a very good thing, and I wish other companies offering online services and features would adopt the same approach and deliberately design security systems such that nobody but me can recover my own accounts.

My 2-step recovery key is safely encrypted in my keychain, as well as in another encrypted app, mSecure, and those encrypted password stores are sync'd to several devices. I have not had to use it in all the many years now I've used 2-step verification, but I know where it is and can readily access it (despite changing computers, iphones. and iPads several times). It's not all that difficult to make some plans to ensure your account recovery information is available if or when needed.

Atlesst they shud have an option of disabling my account thru my official email request..

Your account is disabled. Nobody will ever get into again unless you find your recovery key and still have your trusted device.

Venkystouch wrote:

Security aspect is one thing and being user friendly is another

This is simple harassment to a genuine customer in the name of security

No, it is not. It IS real security. Neither Apple, nor any government agency that may order them to, can recover your account now. That is the whole point. Any, and I do mean any and every security system with third party account recovery features means you do not actually have privacy and control of your information. If Apple could recover it for you, they can recover your account for someone else to access as well.

This concept that true security and convenience can be mutually combined is absolute falsehood. The moment you build in third party convenience recovery features, you've compromised security and privacy. You either accept systems where nobody but you has control, or you accept that your information can and may be compromised, without your knowledge or consent. There is no happy place in between those two.

Apple does not know your recovery key - they do not store or keep it anywhere that they can send you that same key in any human readable format ever again. When created, it and your account ID are used to create an encrypted account recovery code. Your recovery key is necessary to decrypt that and regain your access to your account. Apple does not know that decrypt key - that was up to you to keep safe and accessible to you. It gets generated when you ask for it, and after that, its gone other than whatever copy you kept of it.

Again, that is the very point of 2-step verification. The vault is locked, and you, and only you, hold the key to unlock it. Nobody else has that key as it was never stored or kept anywhere, by anyone else.

You will have to call Apple and ask them to help you contact the subscription services and cancel payments. Or contact CSR at the companies you have subscriptions with and ask them to help cancel any charges.

HI

Go to iforgot.apple.com

Cheers

Brian