I WANT TO TURN OFF TWO FACTOR VERIFICATION!!!!! It is a total pain in the butt and I want the option to turn it off. Help!!!!! How can apple not allow us to turn this time-suck feature off? I want to register my frustration.

Once you've had two-factor authentication for more than two weeks, you cannot turn it off.

Can I turn off two-factor authentication after I’ve turned it on?

If you already use two-factor authentication, you can no longer turn it off. Certain features in the latest versions of iOS and macOS require this extra level of security, which is designed to protect your information. If you recently updated your account, however, you can unenroll for a period of two weeks. Just open your enrollment confirmation email and click the link to return to your previous security settings. Keep in mind, this makes your account less secure and means that you can't use features that require a higher level of security.

Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support

Perhaps if you explain what problems you're having with it, someone can help you. What are you doing that you're interacting with it more than very rarely?

This is a user-to-user forum. If you want to let Apple know how you feel, use the feedback page:

Product Feedback - Apple

FIRST, if you just turned it on you have 14 days to turn it off. Just click the link in the confirmation email.

But the root of your problem is that you share an Apple ID. They are intended to be used by only one person. See the 4th answer in this FAQ: Apple ID FAQ - Apple

What Apple did not forsee is that people would go against all of their advice and share an Apple ID. This is only one of the many problems that can result from sharing an Apple ID.

You can still make 2 FA work by listing all of your devices as contact points for 2 FA. And throw in one or more voice numbers.

Doesn’t really matter what you or anyone wants. Apple is held legally responsible for their clients data stored on their network. They, as a corporation, have made the decision to thus require enhanced security for their clients login credentials. If you don’t like that, then don’t make or use an AppleID and therefore don’t use Apple online services like iCloud.

It’s your choice which online services you sign up for and use. It is the choice of the company providing the service and thus legally responsible for your data stored on their systems as to what they decide is appropriate security for logins (minimum password lengths, minimum password complexity, password expiration, two factor authentication or whatever the company policy is for use of their online services).

It is is well known that systems protected solely by passwords are inherently less secure than those with additional login requirements. It is also well known that many people routinely use trivial and insecure passwords, forget them, share them when they shouldn’t and so forth. Since companies are the legally liable entity when personal or private data is breached, more and more companies are looking for ways to force people to take their own account security more seriously, or at least protect unauthorized access better then has been traditionally done in the past.

Apple is also very publicly dedicated to a privacy policy that ensures, as much as absolutely possible, that you, and only you, can access your private or personal data. They are deliberately designing their systems so their own people cannot get to and read your data, nor can law enforcement or any other person or agency unauthorized and un-enabled by you, the client and owner of the data. https://www.apple.com/privacy/

Read Kurt’s answer. He posted about how to turn off (the older) 2 step verification in order to turn on 2 factor authentication.

That post - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207198 only applies to people with devices running iOS 10 or older who wish to voluntarily switch from the older to the newer system of proctection for their AppleID.

Anyone who purchased and signed into their AppleID on a device shipped with iOS 11 or 12 has already enabled 2 factor authentication, and after 14 days cannot disable it. And if they did have 2 step verification enabled beforehand, the act of signing into a newer device using 2 factor authentication automatically un-enrolls their AppleID from 2 step verification.

If you create that new AppleID on an iOS 12 device or a MacOS 10.14 device, then 2FA will be automatically applied and required for use with that new AppleID. The 14 day option to disable 2FA only applies to existing AppleIDs which elect to enable 2FA when they have not been using it beforehand.

All new AppleIDs, for some time now, have no option to opt out of 2FA.

1) You can't turn it off if it has been more than 14 days. So, you'll need to figure out why you're not getting the codes. Start by making sure you have the right devices set up as trusted.

Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support

2) Apple isn't reading here. You can let the know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

However, I think it's safe to say 2FA isn't going anywhere any time soon.

gi_jon0131 wrote:

This is no longer the case. I have created TWO new Apple ID's and 2FA is automatically enabled. I even went through and took screen shots of every screen of the second account creation and no where does it say you are enabling 2FA but it is automatically turned on and no way to turn off.

According to Apple, you need to use the link in the enrollment email to disable it. And you need to do it within 14 days.

Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support

When did you enable Two Factor Authentication? When Two Factor is enabled, an email is sent to you. You have 14 days to opt out of Two Factor. To opt out, go to the email sent to you at the time Two Factor was enabled and click on the link contained within that email. Remember, you only have 14 days to opt out. After 14 days, you are no longer able to turn Two Factor off.

What type of issue are you having that makes you want to turn Two Factor off? There are all types of workarounds. Post your issue and let's see if we can help to get it resolved. In addition, I'd like to say that Two Factor provides the best form of security for your account. In the event someone attempts to compromise your account, you are notified immediately and you are provided the option to 'Don't Allow', thereby denying them access to your important data; whereas if you account security type is 'Simple', dba Secondary Authentication, someone can easily compromise your account by guessing the answers to your security questions without your knowledge.

If someone wants this security it should be a choice.

But it isn't a choice in iOS any longer.

It is clear many users like your self are unhappy.

It should be equally clear that nothing can be done by anybody here in this community.

We are not Apple. We do not speak for, or have influence over, Apple.

Feedback for Apple goes here >>> http://www.apple.com/feedback/ all we can offer.

jayfromcotati wrote:

The problem for me that I have four people in my family who all use the same Apple ID. When we need to change something or do anything that requires us to use the two-factor code it's sent to my wife's phone. If she doesn't happen to be in the room, or is at work, etc. then we're basically locked out, which is beyond annoying. Forcing us into using something we don't want it downright Orwellian. We should be able to use what level of security makes sense for us individually. But the real question, why should we have to explain ourselves at all.

There is no reason why the verification code can only be sent to your wife's phone. If you read the article that Idris provided (Two-Factor Authentication for Apple ID), it explains how Two-Factor works. You use Trusted Phone Numbers and Trusted Devices to receive Verification Codes. Add some more phone numbers to the Apple account: Apple - My Apple ID. Trusted Phone numbers can be any number that can receive a text or a phone call - iPhones, Androids, Landlines, any number you put there and verify.

It would behoove you to read the support article before getting tied up in a bunch about this. It's really quite accommodating if you know how to use it.

And just an additional note: Apple strongly recommends that people do not share Apple accounts. With Family Sharing, there is no reason for multiple people to share the same account anymore, and eventually, it will cause issues in other areas for you and your family members.

Best,

GB

I was unaware of how much of a hassle it would be. Please provide a way to remove two factor identification from apple products. Thank you

If you've had it for more than 14 days, you can't turn it off. So, why don't you tell us what's happening that you find to be a hassle. It really shouldn't be so, I'm sure we can help you get it working properly.

This is no longer the case. I have created TWO new Apple ID's and 2FA is automatically enabled. I even went through and took screen shots of every screen of the second account creation and no where does it say you are enabling 2FA but it is automatically turned on and no way to turn off.

I have logged onto Apple ID on a desktop and the phone browser for each newly created account and there is no "Edit" button on the Security page. The 2FA is written in Gray with no hyperlink to turn it off as well.

To add onto that - I have contacted Apple Support TWICE and talked with two different specialists on the phone who both told me they are unable to turn 2FA off on the newly created accounts.

I don't know if this is new or not as one of them used the words "We are no longer able to turn off 2FA". Either way, it seems like 2FA is now a requirement going forward.

IdrisSeabright wrote:

However, it's highly unlikely that Apple is going to reduce security on Apple IDs.

Indeed. In fact, they have improved security. It is now a requirement for new Apple IDs. If you want to create an Apple ID you must agree to 2 factor authentication. There is no 14 day opt-out anymore. FWIW, it's also a requirement for Google's G-Suite, the US Internal Revenue Service, the US Social Security user portal and the Medicare/Medicare user portal. As well as many banks, most securities brokers, most insurance companies and most cellular carriers. Mine (AT&T) requires it, and even offers 3 factor authentication as an option in the form of a 2nd password.

Everyone will have to get used to enhanced security. Even CapitalOne.

Then says the link will expire (on a date about two weeks from email).

“After this date, the only way to turn off two-factor authentication will be to sign in to your Apple ID account page with your password and a six-digit verification code.”

That is an old message. Apple removed that ability maybe a year ago or more. At one time you could indeed toggle it off and on.

Apple will not allow you to turn off the two-factor authentication, reguradless of how unnecessary

Unnecessary?

Tell that to Jennifer Lawrence, whose nude selfies were circulated on the Internet when her Apple ID (which did not have 2 factor authentication) was hacked.

Tell that to the IRS who now requires it to access your tax data. Tell that to the Social Security Administration, who now requires it for access to your SSA account. Tell that to Google, who requires it for using enterprise cloud apps. Tell that to Medicare and Medicaid, who require it for access to your health care account. And on and on. 2 Factor Authentication is coming to a website near you, if it hasn't already.