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.

I'm ****** off at it too... it's got me trapped (on 2 computers) for reasons not mentioned here... but in your case, it would be based on the phone number (not hardware/brand). If you go to your AppleID page online you can add your phone number and it will send the code to that phone (as long as it receives texts).

My problem is that I have two iMacs running Mavericks (for specific reasons too long to go into here). Everything was fine until a few weeks ago. They are at two locations. First sign was issues with iCloud on the computer. Can't remember now exactly what the issue was, but I was basically forced to delete everything, then resign in. That's what the language of the popups indicated. So I did. What a mess! But I was able to do that and get signed in, and then re-sync to the Cloud.

Then I checked "Find My" (no longer "Find my iPhone" on iOS13) and it renamed that computer to ERASED MAC and could no longer pinpoint location, just shows "online". That was scary. The iMac was was NOT erased (but I had to erase the contents of iCloud on that computer). The name was not changed on my iPad running iOS12+. I was able to sign back in to iCloud and select what to sync and it seems to be working? CS had no idea what happened. It seemed to be a "Find My" iOS13 issue.

So I finally get home, and turn on the twin to that computer. First thing I notice are some oddities with Mail and iCloud account (seems to have dissappeared?). So I go to System Preferences to check iCloud. I am signed in, but can not access ANYTHING unless I enter my iCloud password. So I do. THEN, it says it needs the code from my device. But there is no place on the iMac to enter it! Once I enter my password, the window is gone. For good. Unless I close System Preferences to trigger it all again. So I tried to trick it and do it all quickly, so I could add the 6 digit code to the end of my password (while there was still a box to enter it). Didn't work.

So I sought a way to TURN OFF 2FA even just for 30 minutes so I could get out of this loop - and NO... you can not do that!!!

My biggest issue is that it was NEVER MADE CLEAR ANYWHERE that I would never be able to turn it off (after the 14days). My second issue is that I received non-stop nags to turn it on before I was ready to during a switch around with 2 AppleTVS, 2 iPhones, iPad, 2 24" iMacs and a 27" iMac. I might have turned it on - just to shut it up, but wasn't done with my setups (which made it a HUGE pain in the arse). But to be honest, I am not sure if I even did that. I think what really triggered this whole slippery slope into chaos was getting a new iPhone 11 running iOS 13 (or maybe just updating the previous iPhone to iOS13 a couple of weeks earlier?)

In any case, I did not have any problems with iCloud (except the occassional inconvenience of having to run to another room to find a trusted device) pre iOS 13. I guess they decided that Mavericks needed a downgrade at the same time? Because even though it is admittedly old, iCloud worked fine on it - until iOS 13 was released. Yet oddly, if you log in via a browser... it still uses "Find my iPhone" (not just "Find My").

And yes, I have complained through the regular channels... but seriously doubt they care or read anything there anymore.

It is especially disingenuous because there is no CLEAR warning WHEN TURNING 2FA ON, that it can never be reversed!!!! I never saw an email (in fact, I am going to do a deep search for that pink unicorn).

This information should have been baked into the process of turning 2FA on!!!! NOT IN AN EMAIL AFTER THE FACT.

That is what makes it especially maddening. And inconsiderate, to put it nicely.

Like this? This documentation is readily available to Apple ID users before they enable 2FA.

From >>> https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204915

We are busy with our daily lives and constantly bombarded with notifications, updates, etc... and usually, at a very importune moment (or so it seems!)

Yep. We all face that. Caveat Emptor.

Apple products are great, but the support "conversation" can really suuuuck! This answer is not an answer. It is a regurgitation of what is on the support site. 2-factor is indeed a time suck. Why make people search around first in System Preferences and then on the internet to find out that you can't turn it off? Just say so in the Preferences password page!

That was so long ago (5 years?) that I don’t remember it.

I note that Amazon now requires 2FA for their Ring security products, as does Google for their paid business cloud services and their security products.

With all of the well-publicized compromised credentials from hundreds of websites, as well as Equifax and now Citrix, everyone should have 2FA for everything they log into. It is now so easy to impersonate anyone thanks to these breaches with what was once “confidential” information that anyone who wants to take over any account that you have (including your Apple ID) can get a password reset by calling support and “proving” they are "you" using this compromised information. So the only reason an Apple ID without 2 FA hasn’t been hacked is because no one wanted to hack that account - yet.

For me... the bigger issue isn’t having it or not. It’s that we opted in when we could toggle it on or off. And it was clearly stated at the time. Then, they changed that without any notification. Even some of the support people weren’t aware that it could not be toggled off anymore...

I ran into an issue where it wasn’t working right, and needed to toggle it off temporarily in order to resolve it. It took many hours of customer support and google to discover that what I had opted in to - had changed. I’m still stuck in a loop, which could have been readily fixed if I had the control I was given when I opted in.

2FA IS bothersome, and I frequently have to run to another room to get another device when I am trying to do something quickly... and what if battery dead, lost, etc... but I put up with it for "security" (which seems more like a joke every day.)

But to not allow us to even turn it off for an hour or so (or even for customer support to be able to turn it off so something buggy can get fixed) is beyond the pale... on TOP of the fact that they changed the "rules" AFTER the fact - WITHOUT DISCLOSURE. Which wasted a LOT of my time going backwards to discover what happened. Apple Support couldn’t even tell me WHEN the change happened. But I found all of my emails and NONE of them informed me of the change. I only found the one that said that I COULD turn it on or off when I opted in. And I was able to do that several times since then. So didn’t worry. The ONLY reason I opted in was because I could turn it off - if needed.

Sadly, it appears that Apple is going the way of the other behemoths in what they "allow" us to do. Or make available. Or take away. It’s no longer about the customer. Things that used to make life easier are harder... or gone. In favour of Animojis.

Does anyone actually think that texting, spellcheck, or writing an email are easier in iOS 13+? How about all those (toolbar type) options hogging up screen space, that you can not rearrange, customize or toggle off? (even if you never need them, and hit them by accident) This in turn, forces the phones to be larger. I never got a plus model for that reason. My iPhone 11 is too big (and heavy!) But now, I have no choice!

My elderly mother still has my iPhone 4. I used it to text the other day and it was sooo responsive and snappy! (even if tiny) Unbelievable! So easy. I had forgotten. Puts iPhone 11 to shame...

Progress?

I figured out how to fix this. I went to the Verizon store and got a new phone. Not an iPhone. Suddenly all these frustrations are fixed!

it doesnt work it keeps going back to on how can i fix it

Contact customer support. There's a link at the top right of every page of these forums.

Please read the thread you posted to.

There is no need to. You can (and should) have it send codes to multiple devices in case you lose one. Just use the one that is most convenient at the time when you are prompted for a code.

Feedback for Apple goes here >>> http://www.apple.com/feedback/

I suspect that they mean they turned it on when it was till possible to turn it off whenever you wanted. Then, Apple changed that.

jayfromcotati wrote:

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.

Or, Apple doesn't want the legal liability for your data getting hacked, for having to assume responsibility for charges made if purchases are made in the App Store or iTunes Store with your hacked ID.

And, as Gail said, sharing an Apple ID amongst 4 people likely to cause you more and more problems as time goes on. Sharing of call logs, messages going to everyone/only one person.

elijahfromcorsicana wrote:

So for the love of God get rid of the Two-factor verification or just ADD AN OFF BUTTON.

It's not going to happen, so you are going to have to calm down and learn how to use it.

What do you mean when you state that every time you try to "give' the code to your "other" device it is "interrupted over and over again"?

You don't "give" a code to a device - you type one in when you are trying to sign into your Apple account. What does "interrupted over and over again" mean. Interrupted by whom?

You need to explain exactly what issue you are having in detail. Step by step, tell us what you are attempting to do, and step by step, tell us what happnes when you try to do it. We are not magic - we cannot see your device. You have to provide the visual experience for us by using a clear and thorough description of what is going on that is causing you issues.

GB

Hello I'm getting the same problem.

I have 4 devices and I've just tried to sign in to a 5th. I wanted to set my iCloud account up on this new iMac but I'm getting into a circular loop on the 2 -step verification. I get the verification code to my iPhone but then the new iMac says what's your iPhone passcode (as it's encrypted) - which I enter and then it tells me it's wrong when I know that it isn't. I've done this several times and then it keeps telling me that I've tried too many times. So I skipped the account setup and just logged into my iCloud account through a web browser OK. Not sure what to do now.

My mum has the same problem between her laptop, iPad and iPhone as well, recently when trying to add an iCloud calendar invitation to her iPad from an email.

Thanks

AnniB