How to turn off two factor authentication?

So you think that your bank shouldn't require you to have a strong password? It would be violating your rights if the IRS required 2 factor authentication to access your tax records (they do). Likewise Social Security, Medicare, your health insurer? (they all do). Apple is responsible for protecting your personal data. If your data was stolen you would blame Apple and possible sue them. They have every right to use whatever protection they see fit. You can opt out simply by not having an Apple ID.

Like I said, I know where you're coming from, I understand how you feel and why. I, personally, do not agree with your thinking. There is nothing wrong with a strong password, and there's actually nothing wrong with this two-factor authentication. My problem is, it doesn't work properly and you go through frustration trying to get into your own account. Like I said before, if you're going to implement some of these things you need to make them work properly. This does not. But in actuality, I do not believe they should have the power to dictate to us how our security should be. You're just handing it all over to the man. And you seem happy with that. Good luck to you. You're going to need it. I also know I don't have to have an Apple ID or anything else but I do have a Mac oh, I want to use what I have, if I had seen the notation about the two weeks I would have cancelled it. I didn't see that I'm stuck with it I got to live with it and I will. But I will never buy another Apple product again. So I am taking your advice like I said I know where you're coming from Oman I know where you're coming from

I disagree - it is the most secure 2 factor authentication available, and works admirably well, and it is never an imposition for me. And I am thrilled that my gigabytes of personal content in iCloud is completely secure from hackers. If you don't want your personal and private data to be secure by all means switch to Android, which is a security sieve. On an almost weekly basis new hacks against Android and particularly apps from the Google Play store are found that steal user's data. Not to mention that everything on the phone is used by Google for marketing to you.

They did give you warning. They sent you an email confirming that you activated 2 factor authentication, and it included the statement that you could cancel it for 14 days. It also included a link to cancel it. Apple is not responsible for your failure to read your email.

You might find this an interesting read from yesterday's New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/technology/personaltech/two-step-authentication.html

iwillneverbuyanotherapplephone wrote:

No can do brother Lawrence. Received an email on day of enabling two factor (3/27) from Apple support only thanking me for enabling two-factor authentication for my Apple ID. No link included to cancel. Need to get you facts straight before pontificating

Lawrence was making statements based on Apple's Two Factor Authentication KB article. You can see the quote yourself in the answer at the top of the page marked "Apple Recommended".

If you got a different sort of email then Apple has changed the way they do things without updating their KB article.

Thanks, I just spoke with an Apple support tech on phone concerning that email. Nice, forthright guy helped me a lot. He did tell me that the cancellation paragraph in the two-factor authentication "thank you" email I received is worded in such a way that it could be "missed as dealing with the 14 day cancellation"

Thanks brother Lawrence for the help. You're the Best! Got it taken care of with the help of an awesome guy at Apple support. Looks like I gotta eat crow, keep my iPhone and change my Apple ID. Comforting to know that we still have free choice at Apple

Please, Apple, make it possible to TURN this god-damm-two-factor-authetication off!!!! It is the most annoying feature ever! Google and MSFT have more secure ecosystems without relying on such user unfriendly method! Please, listen to the customer!

This system is ridiculous and is a major problem for me now that my 105 week old iPhone 7 just died, I will now swap all mine and my families devices over to Android after using apple for more than 10 years, just because of the inconvenience of this issue

Google and Microsoft both have 2 factor authentication, with multiple levels. The lowest level is similar to Apple's. Google also has a solution using an authenticator app on your phone, but if you lose your phone you can no longer log in to your account. How helpful! Google has a more advanced, $50 version where you must carry around a device that generates the codes. And another one that is a USB stick that plugs into your computer. And for more advanced yet, a challenge-response device. Microsoft's uses SMS, which is very easy to hack.

Is it really true that I am not able to turn off two factor authentication? Why should I be forced to use a feature that I don't want and find annoying? There must be a way to turn this ******** off.

IdrisSeabright, Lawrence Finch, GB — Your patience and calmness is such a welcome presence here. I don’t know why anyone uses this forum as a ‘***** session’, but I have found your information to be helpful, accurate, and admirable in the face of immature, unkind, and thick-headed contributors. I truly do appreciate you.

Michael Black, Lawrence Finch, IdrisSeabright, GB — Your patience and calmness is such a welcome presence here. I don’t know why anyone uses this forum as a ‘***** session’, but I have found your information to be helpful, accurate, and admirable in the face of immature, unkind, and thick-headed contributors. I truly do appreciate you.

I do not like 2 factor authentication. What I can't figure out is why my WIFE gets the authentication number instead of me. It even shows MY phone number in the settings! We share Apple ID for APPs and iTunes (she don't even use iTunes). We each have our own distinct Apple ID for iMessages and all that other iCloud crap. Regardless, it sends the authorization number to a totally different phone number! She has 2 devices that use this for app purchases hardly ever and I have 5 devices that use it all the time and I constantly have to ask her for the code. I had it turned off and it has turned itself back on again!

[Edited by Host]

i find it inconvenient to have this two fact. code, especially if you have soo many apply products, and in hurry, such as myself, i am constantly in hurry, and a very busy person. this two fact. should be obtional to aplle users not a indefinite, its a paid in ***. i have too many passwords to remember already and dont need this as another challenge for me.