How to turn off two factor authentication?

GoldMonkey wrote:

So... if my *mobile phone* goes down... or GETS HACKED... this means I'm SCREWED ON EVERY SINGLE OTHER MAC DEVICE I OWN!?!?!?

Only if your phone is your only trusted device. Always have additional trusted devices. I have my Mac and my iPad as trusted devices. I also have my office landline as a trusted device.

My iphone keeps popping up requesting two-factor identification. I have never requested this, signed up for it, etc. in the many years I have owned an iphone. How do I turn this off. I have tried in settings and when I go into privacy/security under Two Factor Authentication it simply says "On" with no option to turn it off.

How do I turn this off? this is really, really bad and I'm ready to join the growing chorus of grumpy Iphone users facing this same issue.

Thanks for a fast response.

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.

I had many issues at first with 2FA and found no help whatsoever, However once the problem was finally fixed 2FA although not perfect works ok.

If you turn on 2FA your phone if working ok should stop asking you to activate 2FA

no when you have no other devices to connect it to then your screwed if you have other devices using your Apple ID then you will be fine. if as in my nieces case she only has the one device and lost access to her phone number so this 2 step crap is bad on that front and what's worse is I tell it email her and its still trying to text her. also when I do finally get it to do what I want it still goes right back to the 2 step. ok but anyways to say its completely bad its not your in good hands having 2 step like I said

Bigtyme$23 wrote:

no when you have no other devices to connect it to then your screwed if you have other devices using your Apple ID then you will be fine. if as in my nieces case she only has the one device and lost access to her phone number so this 2 step crap is bad on that front

That is why you need to have more than one trusted device or phone number. The problem is not that there's something wrong with 2FA in this case. The problem is that your niece didn't learn how to use it. I could lose access to every single Apple device I own and to my mobile number and I'd still be okay. I have a landline and Google Voice number as back ups.

Although finally after months of suffering constant 2FA intrusion, it’s now working as it should.

However I do understand what people are still saying it’s the lack of choice and the bully boy tactics of Apple over this that is really the big issue.

As a whole people don’t like being ordered or forced to do something against their will and that is just what Apple are doing.

As I said my 2FA is at last working without constant interruptions so no further complaints at present.

I do feel that everyone should be sceptical about any company or organisations that want total control.

We all know about hackers and scammers yet we all aid them by allowing huge organisations to have access to all of our data, So surely we are to blame for allowing this big brother attitude to continue.

Todays online world is a very dangerous place and security is important 2FA when working properly does aid in that security, However its our own responsibility to protect the source product in our hands. It would be nice if Apple provided some device protection then perhaps the people would be happier with 2FA.

and yet, the very fact that you need to have ' a landline and Google Voice number as back ups' and demonstrates that people need to ensure they have 2FA workarounds and 2FA IS the problem. Basically without a secondary 'device' anyone with 2FA imposed upon them risks losing access to their Apple account.

not only that but if you have an iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook etc the verification code is a complete nightmare. Its like you have to travel everywhere with all your devices in case you are asked a verification code at some random point on a random device. Apple should check what banks do to verify bank transfers. quick and easy sms code takes 1 second and its secure. This whole thing makes you want to buy Samsung jut to get away from it

However I do understand what people are still saying it’s the lack of choice and the bully boy tactics of Apple over this that is really the big issue.

An issue, as has been pointed out numerous times, that is not permitted to be discussed here.

You clearly don't accept or respect this.

It would be nice if Apple provided some device protection then perhaps the people would be happier with 2FA.

Your device's strong passcode protects your device. And your personal security practices.

Facts matter.

Basically without a secondary 'device' anyone with 2FA imposed upon them risks losing access to their Apple account.

Yes.

Those who choose not to purchase insurance for their home run the risk of losing access to their home in a fire. Insurance provides a plan B to replace your home.

It is a simple process to set up and provides a plan B. My extra trusted phone number is my mother's landline.

Feeling lucky? Don't make the effort. Your choice.

This does not make the design lacking. It makes it secure and in your complete control. Exactly what a security process should be.

wrong.... grown ups take responsibility and look after their own security.

Apple security is for children.

I see a lot of absurd replies here.... this one is special.

Being a grownup is all it takes?

You don't need anybody's help keeping your account secure?

You should publish your process. You'll make millions.

Apple. Microsoft, Google, Instagram, WhatsApp all came up with a form of 2FA.

But you say being a grownup is enough. Good to know.

Spacious wrote:

wrong.... grown ups take responsibility and look after their own security.

Apple security is for children.

Clearly from the years and years of many, many posts here about people who forget their password, forgot their security questions, cannot remember their email used for their AppleID your premise about adults is plainly wrong.

You can be assured part of Apple's use of 2FA (as well as every other company using it) is to protect themselves, against lawsuits from people who do not take their online account security seriously, and then sue the service provider when their account is compromised or they are locked out from it due to their own poor security practices.

Spacious wrote:

sure, my process is called a good password.

Never had it hacked in 30 years.

Not hard for grown up.

Apple has about a billion accounts.

The needs of the many... outweigh the needs of the few.

With 2FA enabled, I could print business cards with my Apple ID and password on it and still not be compromised.

It is secure and I am willing to bet children take online security more seriously then most grownups.

I have worked in phone support and have been screamed at and called names by "grownups" who do not want a password at all.

They claim the same. "I know what I'm doing"

I wasn’t aware that issues cannot be raised here, from my understanding of an independent forum surely this would be the place to raise issues that cause concerns.

As I said I do understand people’s apprehension over 2FA being forced upon you .I had many many problems with this system until it finally got fixed very recently.

from the very start I was not against Apple or 2FA, I simply needed it to work or go.

now that it works , at least for me I don’t have issues with it. But it’s clear from the many posts both here and on other forums and reviews, there are still many others having problems. Someone mentioned feeding the masses and not the minority and of course this will always be true and fair, but for the minority of effected users an alternative should be available.

i don’t think that enough information is readily available and that is also causing problems as although the support pages do explain the basics, very little information is available on the more complex actions of apple’s version of 2FA.

I also think it’s unreasonable to force people to use something they don’t fully understand.

I use 2FA on other systems and can turn them on or off as required without losing any function of the device in question.

Apple advertise how easy and secure their devices are and I have no argument with this, But nowhere in any advertisement is forced 2FA mentioned.

yet to use the device to its advertised specifications 2FA must be enabled.

I think if a better understanding of this system was available and better support for issues with it , people may be less likely to complain, ooops sorry it’s Apple you can’t complain can you ???