How to turn off two factor authentication?

Many users are encountering this for the first time, and my answer provided detail I hope will be useful to users. As I wrote earlier, I apologize for any offense. Volunteers like you have saved me many times. Thanks for your good work!

renesonn wrote:

• Do you work with Apple in order to defend a service of which many people complain. Let's get a reality check.

I won't be able to access certain services because Two Factor Authentication if I don't have my second device (which shows me the verification cade) close to me. What happens when I have my computer with me but left my mobile phone at home? Also, one of the complaints I read is what happens if the second device which shows the Two Factor Authentication code is broken (yes indeed, devices brake). Some people had to struggle to get access to their services. Right or wrong?

A second device is not required if your computer is a Mac. If all my Apple devices were lost or broken, I could still access my 2FA codes as I have two trusted numbers: my office landline and my Google Voice number. What you're describing is not a failure of 2FA but a failure of the user to understand how it works and how to set it up.

It often takes more than ten seconds, and even ten seconds are annoying if you could do it within 0 seconds. For example Apple TV takes more time.....

But you only need to do it once on the Apple TV.

So if we loose our phone that means we can not log into Icloud to use find my phone without the 2FA so find my phone is useless now. I recently lost my phone i logged into I cloud and it needed me to do the 2FA but how could i when it sends it to the phone and well the phone was lost.

I have had enough of this crap.

Okay, I must have got it all out of my system because that made me smile. Hard to do these days :).

i actually had that question the other day. So, thank you. It’s complicated but I couldn’t use both my devices and wanted to change my password. I couldn’t get it through my head that I could just use one! Also, I was always the one worried I had 2FA set up wrong because I only needed it when I changed my password. Starting yesterday afternoon I’ve needed it for all Apple sites that use Face ID. It’s skipped Face ID and goes to password and 2FA. I’ve reset Face ID and reset phone. Same thing. Be careful what you ask for!!

“TFA should be the users decision, not Apple's. I love my iPad, but this is unacceptable.”

Why should it be a users decision? That’s not logical. The users don’t own the physical hardware that provides the services and house the data you use with your AppleID. Those are Apple’s server farms and resources. And the user isn’t liable if their data is compromised, Apple is. Since it is Apple’s online services that you have chosen to use and put your data on, it is entirely within Apple’s right to set the rules for how their system is accessed.

You don’t get to dictate the security that a bank puts in place to safe guard your finances. You don’t get to set the rules for how you login to your school’s or employer’s online systems. Why should you get to dictate the security rules and settings for accessing a company offering online data services? Your choice is which online service companies you chose to use. But when you chose to use one, that company does indeed have the right, even the responsibility, to set in place the security requirements they feel necessary to safeguard access to the personal data they hold (and which users have chosen to store with them).

This is insane. I had to use 2 factor to sign in, again to comment here, and my computer's email settings will not allow me to use icloud email as my default --------- because of this. All the security in the world is worthless when it becomes too much of a pain in the *** to want to use it at all.

Wiyr4fgh wrote:

Two factor authentication has been implemented into Game Center. That’s the relationship. That’s the subject of this thread. 😐

Then explain what the problem is that you're having with 2FA. No one can help you learn how to use properly without details.

Whilst I do agree with most of this, I do feel for some less technical people the set up process is poorly explained and over complicated.

As I have said before for any security system to be functional it needs to be simple and invisible.

The various pages of 2FA explanations are at best under informative especially in regards to non Apple devices.

So for perhaps a full and complete and comprehensive explanation of Apples 2FA and all of its functions would solve all of the issues still being raised here and on other sites.

2FA works but only if it’s understood and correctly set up other wise it’s an intrusive nuisance.

It's extremely relevant. Because of this 2 factor authentication nonsense experience shows him but it's a real pain in the a** to switch between account and have to go through all of that verification nonsense. That's why you said it's ruining his experience. It can't be any more relevant.

RTRTruthMedia wrote:

It's extremely relevant. Because of this 2 factor authentication nonsense experience shows him but it's a real pain in the a** to switch between account and have to go through all of that verification nonsense. That's why you said it's ruining his experience. It can't be any more relevant.

We don't know why the user objects to 2FA as they never responded. You appear to be projecting your feelings on the matter on to them. I never said it was ruining anything.

I work at a school and we have well over 300 iPads, now every time a teacher or student uses the apple ID I need to give them the code. This is unworkable to say the least. Please allow me to disable this insane feature.

I got locked out of my I phone 12 Pro and could not get the two factor password to get on to my information to unlock my phone. There should be another way to receive the two factor pass word. I think there should be a back up email.

I can not even set up backup phone numbers because my other numbers are for different countries and they won’t work in the country I’m currently in. Not only that, all of my numbers use the same last four digits so it is often very difficult to discern which number to send the codes to.

Google voice is best as it works everywhere and sends me an email. Maybe if Apple allowed us to use email rather than phone backups...

I think the bottom line is that the usability of TFA as implemented by Apple in this circumstance is sub optimal.

There is my phone and her phone, so I’m not sure what other options you are suggesting. I am not able use my phone at work (or anywhere else) since I cannot get an authorization code from her phone unless we are together.

As far as not sharing an AppleID, there is no way I am letting her have her own at 10 years old.

cora281 wrote:

As far as not sharing an AppleID, there is no way I am letting her have her own at 10 years old.

Why not? Family sharing allows you to place controls on a child's Apple ID. It's much more secure and controlled than sharing an Apple ID with an adult.

You should rarely need to enter a 2FA code on your phone. When are you being required to use it?