How to turn off two factor authentication?

Sorry, accidentally hit Post before I put in my response:

Yes, it appears you can turn off two factor verification. I was just reading an article, and it says that you can unenroll in two factor verification for a period of 2 weeks, and then set it back up with the privacy setting that does NOT require two factor verification.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204915

However, I'm in the middle of MBA midterms, and haven't been able to look deeper into it. The article is a little ambiguous to me. I can't tell if you can only turn it off when you first turn it on. I hope an Apple tech reads this thread, because I need to turn it off, because my husband needs to access iCloud in an area where he has internet access (limited), but no cell service..

I'm going to be checking further into this later this week -- frankly, I trust Apple far more than I'd ever trust Google and Microsoft, who make a lot of money selling our information. Have you heard about the latest Google privacy violation in Europe? Just a thought. For a corporation, I think Apple does a great job.

OK, so first, it is Two-Factor Authentication. I know you probably think that it is being pedantic, but many people here and other countries still use Two-Step Verification, so interchanging any of the words except Two, will inevitably result in confusion.

You can only turn off Two-Factor Authentication for 14 days after you initially set it up. And that doesn't even apply to all users. Some users who set up Apple IDs in iOS 10.3 or macOS 10.12.4 had it as a part of the initial set-up, for example.

And, your husband does not need cell service (or even be on the internet) to be able to get a verification code for signing in. If the device the Verification Code is being sent to is an iOS device, the Verification Code is not a message at all. So, in that case, only internet access is needed. Cellular service is not required at all.

And if there is no access to the internet, then a Verification Code can be generated on the device itself:

Get a code from Settings on your trusted device

If you can’t receive a verification code on your trusted devices

automatically, you can get one from Settings, even if your device is

offline.

From your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

In iOS 10.3 or later:

1. Go to Settings > [your name].
2. Tap Password & Security > Get Verification Code.

In iOS 10.3 or later, if your device is offline:

1. Go to Settings > [your name].
2. Tap Password & Security. 
3. A message says "Account Details Unavailable." Tap Get Verification Code.

In iOS 10.2 or earlier:

1. Go to Settings > iCloud.
2. Tap your Apple ID username.
3. If your device is offline, tap Get Verification Code. If your device
4. is online, tap Password & Security > Get Verification Code.

From your Mac:

1. Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > iCloud.
2. Click Account Details.
3. If your device is offline, click Get Verification Code. If your device is online, click Security > Get Verification Code.

Best,

GB

If the option to turn it off isn't showing under Settings>your name>Password & Security, then you cannot turn it off. If the issue you are having is that the old iPod needs a Verification Code as a part of the sign in, and you have no boxes to type the code into, then you need to sign into your account with your Apple ID, then in the password field, type in your Apple account password immediately followed by the Verification Code. So, if your password is ABCD and the verification code is 123456, then you would type ABCD123456 in the password field to sign into iCloud.

Best,

GB

This is a user-to-user technical support forum. We can't change anything about your account. And posting your phone number in a public forum visible to anyone on the Internet (that's billions of people) is not a good idea.

You can use this link for help, but unless you have an alternative way to receive authorization codes all they can do is recover your account, which can take a long time. Use this link-->Contact Apple for help with Apple ID account security - Apple Support

DEAR APPLE, TURN OFF TWO FACTOR!!!!

You are not screaming at Apple here.

As noted Feedback goes elsewhere.

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

So I lose my iPhone, so I sign in online to use the find my iPhone app. My iPhone is the only apple device i got. In an effort to find my iPhone, Apple sends a code to my iPhone that i have to read and enter online...but wait... my iPhone is missing in the first place. And it has the code on it that i now need in order to find it. WHAT THE ****? Apple, do you understand the cyclical conundrum here? thanks Apple. Well thought out. Sheer genius.

Calm down. They have thought of this. A little research on your end may have prevented this inaccurate rant of yours.

Add an additional trusted phone number in case this happens to you. If you lose control of your trusted device, you can redirect the code to this trusted number. It can be any phone number. On an Android, a landline etc.

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

It is not possible to turn off Two-Factor authentication. It is now a mandatory feature in the latest versions of both macOS and iOS. However, if you still use an older version you should login with your Apple ID on the appleid.apple.com switch to the Security section and disable the Two-Factor Authentication option there.

[Edited by Moderator]

utpalj wrote:

Apple ***** I have couple of apple devices I am stuck , almost thinking to through out my phone and devices use for apple . somehow I was troubleshooting something and two factor authentication nightmare activated , I login to Apple ID but now their is no option to turn off . Apple ***** for two factor authentication pop up and stuff . if any apple genie reading this help me to get out from this stupid function .

As noted in the post marked "Apple Recommended" that appears at the top of every page of this thread, once you have had 2FA enabled for more than 14 days, you cannot disable it. If it has been enabled for fewer than 14 days, you can disable it using the link in the confirmation email.

If you are beyond the 14 days and you can't turn it off, if you explain what problems you're having with it, perhaps someone can help you learn to use it better.

There are some Apple features that will only work with 2FA turned on - so that is possibly why you had it turned on. I do not know how yours got turned on, but read the entire article and then see if you can turn it off (towards the bottom of the page):

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204915

If in your iCloud account under password & security it says 2FA “On” ad it has been that way for more than 2 weeks, you cannot turn it off.

If you chose to use any of iCloud Keychain, Apple Pay, home kit, messages in iCloud, then you did in fact choose 2FA since it is required for any of those services. You don’t request 2FA be added to your AppleID. You actually enabled it yourself when setting up some account service that requires it, whether you remember that or not.

The answer has been posted on almost every one of the 101 pages of this thread: If you turned it on less than 2 weeks ago, you can turn it off through the link in the enrollment confirmation email. If it has been more than 2 weeks, you cannot turn it off.

In the event someone has just discovered this thread, having just inadvertently turned on 2FA, look in your email inbox for a mail titled "Two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID." Inside this mail, you'll read the following text: "If you didn’t enable two-factor authentication and believe someone else has access to your account, you can return to your previous security settings and regain control of your account."

Click on that link, even if you enabled 2FA. This will direct you to a page that requires you to confirm you want to turn it off, and then to change your password. After activating 2FA, you have two weeks to "recover" your account, meaning to remove 2FA before it becomes permanent.

Luizochka0812 wrote:

I read that we have rights ask you to turn off 2-factory-authentification, for example personally for me, because I have 4 IPhone, ye I know old wery phone, but I need all info etc from that to new, but that 4 IPhone don’t have that function!!! So what should I do!!?

You can always ask anything. But Apple also has the right to answer you “no”. Which they have done with 2FA. Once enabled, after 14 days, you no longer have the option to disable it. That requirement is certainly within Apple’s legal rights to set the terms and practices for how users access their online services. You don’t get any say in how your bank secures their vault or the rules for access to safety deposit boxes. And you don’t get a say in how online service provides secure their service and access to it.

Any iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Mac capable of using iCloud can receive iCloud notifications and thus can receive 2FA codes.

ugphone038 wrote:

And what if apple does not send that enrollment confirmation email? You see when you create a new apple id and use it on a new phone, it automatically switches on 2fa. Now I don't want it, not now. So what can I do?

For some time now Apple requires 2FA on all new AppleIDs. That’s the way it is, so there is nothing you can do about. Either learn to use 2FA or don’t use that AppleID or any Apple online services.

Apple 2 factor authentication has nothing to do with logging into any third party web site. It applies to logging into Apple online services using your AppleID. If you’re using some third party 2 factor login for another web site, you need to seek support from that third party 2 factor login provider.

There is no way to turn 2FA off from the users end or supports end. It's permanent and irreversible atm. If you lost access to your 2FA code you can have an sms code sent to you as a work around. Once you are prompted to enter your Authy code click the sentence that says "I did not recieve the code" then choose the middle/text option and they will send you a 2FA code and get into your account. You will have to do this every time from now on.

I think it's awesome that Apple is making 2FA mandatory however they need to give users some more freedom to modify 2FA settings. Hopefully we see some changes in the near future.

Setting up and using 2FA is user friendly and is quick to use. It will become second nature sooner than you think. That alone will prevent most security breaches as most hacks happen due to people having weak passwords and/or no 2FA set up.

Seruloo wrote:

This 2FA needs to change.next update PLEASE ADD THE OPTION TO TURN OFF 2FA

No one participating or reading this thread has the power to do that. You can certainly let Apple know your thoughts on the matter here:

Product Feedback - Apple

However, given Apple's commitment to security and privacy, it doesn't seem at all likely that they will change this.