How to approve an iPhone (Mac and iCloud)

Approve This iPhone

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

What to do now.

[Re-Titled by Host]

Posted on May 3, 2017 8:37 AM

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77 replies

Jan 4, 2019 4:45 AM in response to Maggesitunes11

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.



May 3, 2017 10:10 AM in response to Maggesitunes11

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.

Aug 3, 2018 2:27 PM in response to Eric Root

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



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Oct 22, 2017 11:31 PM in response to Maggesitunes11

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.

Aug 5, 2018 2:20 PM in response to Maggesitunes11

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.

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How to approve an iPhone (Mac and iCloud)

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