How to approve an iPhone (Mac and iCloud)

Do you have 2 Factor Authentication turned on? See the article below which covers how to gerenate a code.

Get a verification code and sign in with two-factor authentication - Apple Support

See if this works --

1. Turn off iCloud Keychain if it’s on on all of your devices.
2. From one of your iOS devices, go to Keychain and tap Approve with Security Code.
3. When prompted for the 4-digit iCloud Security code tap Forgot Code.
4. Follow the prompts to reset the code (the easiest thing is to use the same code that you use for the device you’re on).
5. Now this device should have iCloud Keychain enabled and working.
6. Now from your other devices, enable iCloud Keychain.
7. You should get a notification on the working device about this.
8. Enter your iCloud password in the prompt.
9. iCloud Keychain should now be enabled on this device.
10. Repeat for your other devices.

Hi, I’m having the same problem. I updated my iOS for the 11.0.1 version, and now I need to approve my iPhone, but my iPad didn’t receive the prompt... I also tried to log in with a friend’s iPhone, but it needed approval too so it didn’t work either... I tried with my notebook, in the iCloud web version, and in the iTunes app, but nothing worked...

Please, help me

[Image Edited by Host to Remove Personal Information]

When you get the code on the iPhone, is there a password box to sign in? If you see a password box, enter the password (ABC) followed by the code (123) or ABC123.

Can you generate and receive a code on the computer?

Same problem. I am signed in on icloud and apple id. it sends a code to my "unverified phone" for me to do two factor auth to get into my account on my comp. totally stupid. then it shows the phone(s) on my account, but there is no link or button or anywhere to "approve this phone". just the phone and all its stats. I fear the only way to fix this is to "reset all data" which im not doing since i have 4 phones. I can live with the red "1" update button but the constant lock screen alerts to "authorize this phone" are going to make me smash it with a hammer and buy an android.

I ended up just selecting the reset data option and honestly I’m not sure what it even reset, everything is the same as before (I don’t use Keychain but that might be one thing it does reset.)

After that everything worked fine and the verification codes came through without issue.

I was having this same problem. What I ended up doing was turning on the key chain on my iPad.( the device I was trying to use to approve my iPhone.) I was then asked to go on to another device to approve my iPad. At the bottom of the screen it had an option and blue text that said cannot approve this device. I clicked that and it asked me if I wanted to reset my encrypted data and I click to reset. It warned that it may delete all my passwords and everything that go along with the keychain but I hit reset anyway. Then with my fingers crossed I turned the key chain on my iPhone on. It asked for my passcode and then said I needed to approve my device. This time I was promoted to approve the device by entering my password on my iPad. Problem solved. Oh and by the way all my passwords etc. where still there.

I can't solve the problem but I have a solution.

1. You will go to Itunes on your pc.
2. You will connect your old phone to a PC.
3. Then you will create a backup (In Itunes) of your old phone.
4. You will disconnect your old phone and connect your new.
5. You will install that backup on your new phone.
6. You will go to approve your phone but then you will tap on “Can't approve this phone”
7. When that window pop up you will press reset.

So if you have more devices you can try to do the same just you will create a backup of all your devices.

Maybe it helped I hope so.

I'm not an expert and sorry for my English.

I contacted Apple. I chatted with one representative, talked to another one who consulted other few senior advisers. The issue is still not resolved yet. Apple suggested me to go to Icloud to add one new phone number and use the new phone to generate a verification code.

I did as instructed but was not successful, Robert from apple, who seems to be the most senior adviser told me I could not do it because I changed my password in 2 hours. I have to wait for 24 hours to try it again to see if it will work.

Good luck, guys!

I called Apple and spent 2 hours with them. You guess, they do not know the answer. A guy called Robert claimed that I could not do it because I changed my password in 2 hours and I have to wait for 24 hours in order to use another IPhone to approve my IPhone. It turned out it's ********. I tried again today, after 24 hours, I had the same issue. Is it funny? APPLE does not know its own ****.

I have to accept reset my protected data to get rid of this approve request. Very SAD!

I have had it with this... read every remedy and tried all but the reset. Surely I should not have to reset my bloody phone! Apple seems to be going down hill.

So many issues with the new phones etc. and never any answers

First the issue with the "I" changing to the silly symbol and now this.

HOW DO I APPROVE MY PHONE ON ANOTHER DEVICE. I HAVE A LAPTOP TO USE. HOW DO I APPROVE IT?

NEED HELP WITH THIS. I WANT MESSAGE TO GO AWAY THAT "I NEED TO APPROVE I PHONE" WHAT THE **** DOES THIS MEAN?

This is ridiculous. I don't have time to keep doing this. I am in Sales and it affects everything that I do. I can't get in. I spend every night working on this and have to sign in and re-sign in. ***. I just want access to my cloud and my work information. Gone way to techy for me and no people support. People are the difference- you can change and update all the software. But, when there is a bug... you can't reach Apple. The employees are driving to their Silicon Valley Happy Hour.

I just had the same problem & was in a never ending loop. I could not approve my new iPhone by logging into icloud as requested by my new iphone. Here is what i did that finally made the error message go away. I went to icloud and turned off 2 factor authentication. when you do this it asks you for answers to security questions. I answered the security questions. then i turned off my new iPhone and turned it back on. this time when the phone booted up, i was able to log into settings with apple id and password. it is no longer asking me to approve the new device.