How to turn off two factor authentication?

Frwebb wrote:

Nowadays most of the people I know only have one cell phone, and no landline. And I’m an old fart!

I only have one cell phone and a landline. However, I also have a Mac and an iPad. Both are trusted devices. My office phone at work is also a trusted number (okay, less useful than it used to be) as is my Google Voice number. You can also have a friend of family member's phone number be a trusted number.

I have to agree with the others like the two factor authentication. This is really annoying, cumbersome, plain overkill. I do not like this; I did not ask for this; I have never had any problem with security and I would like this removed ASAP! In the future, I would hope that Apple polls its users for what they want and need their devices. This arbitrary deciding by Apple of what I need and want is annoying and presumptive.

Apple, you can be so creative at times... This is why I got you in the first place, but this is not creative. It’s restrictive. What if I don’t have another device with me? What if I live alone and there is nobody else that I can get authentication on from their devices? This is just horribly mis-done. Someone did not think this through.

I’ve only had a cell phone as my one and only telephone since 2008. I’m well on the downward side to 60 myself. And I live alone.

I do have other Apple devices as trusted devices under my AppleID. And I have my Google Voice number listed under my AppleID as a backup telephone number.

Kraellin wrote:

I have to agree with the others like the two factor authentication. This is really annoying, cumbersome, plain overkill. I do not like this; I did not ask for this; I have never had any problem with security and I would like this removed ASAP! In the future, I would hope that Apple polls its users for what they want and need their devices. This arbitrary deciding by Apple of what I need and want is annoying and presumptive.

Apple, you can be so creative at times... This is why I got you in the first place, but this is not creative. It’s restrictive. What if I don’t have another device with me? What if I live alone and there is nobody else that I can get authentication on from their devices? This is just horribly mis-done. Someone did not think this through.

You do realize Apple’s decision to require 2FA is just as much about protecting themselves from liability given the increasing amount of personal and financial information people are associating with their AppleID and Apple’s expanding list of online services. That is probably in fact the primary reason it is required for those using Apple Pay, or getting an Apple Card, and home kit and other services now requiring it.

This is garbage it can’t be changed

also garbage can’t remove a credit card cause it says I have a subscription but I don’t

brutal service

apple doesn’t care about you. Just your money. We are suckers

Whilst I do agree with most of this, I should point out that Apple make NO attempt while promoting their devices that 2FA must be enabled to use many of the features advertised.

By its very nature and design an Apple device is a door stop without an Apple account.

And as for Apple protecting themselves that’s fine as long as it’s made clear prior to purchase and the over complicated set up and use pages are better explained to the new or novice Apple users.

dondelash wrote:

I agree. I'm an adult with a house, job, kids, bills, mortgage.... and Apple tells me how to manage my stupid phone?

No, Apple is not telling you how to use your phone. 2FA is not about protecting your phone. Apple is telling you how they are safeguarding the data you've uploaded to their servers. Apple has a legal obligation to protect that data. You don't get to determine how they protect the data they've been entrusted with any more than you get to determine whether or not you state capital puts in an alarm system.

Since I'm probably the person who revived this whole thread months ago, I might as well weigh in. I was able to cancel the two factor and have avoided it on my new iMac. I have decided not to because of the impact on my workflow which was severely disrupted for the brief period I mistakenly activated it. I have activated two factor on all of my important sites that offer it and I use Lastpass for all my passwords. So I feel well protected at this point. With my new computer I spent some time on the phone with Apple Support this past weekend. Apple is well aware of all of these complaints and according to the tech I worked with, it is probably the largest issue they deal with on a day to day basis. They can't help you get rid of it. I understand where Apple is coming from but I like most am not happy being forced to make the decision. Anyway just so everyone knows, Apple is very aware and they aren't changing their decision anytime in the near future. With the new Macs now on the market, they are probably going to force the issue whether you like it or not. So just a heads up for everyone going forward.

jturton wrote:

but I like most am not happy being forced to make the decision.

I'm not sure where you get the data that "most" are not happy with having their data protected. I'd love to see it, though.

2FA is virtually transparent. I have to, at most, interact with it about twice a month.

That's fine but I found in the brief time I had it, that it had a huge impact on my production environment. Time is money and product and they were affected negatively. Just an FYI, the tech I dealt with has also not implemented it on his personal machines. Your experience is not mine and won't impact my decision to avoid it. I'm perfectly happy with my security as it exists right now. I just thought people should know that Apple is very aware and that it is probably the number 1 complaint that the tech folks deal with on a day to day basis. Otherwise I would have continued to ignore where the thread has gone since my original query.

But, why lie that you can turn off 2FA if they won't allow it? I had avoided it up to now----it's TOTALLY irritating!!!

Had had no problems with my data up to now. As a matter of fact, I keep NO data on iCloud.

iCloud is not the sole issue. You have an AppleID, as evident by the very fact you posted here. That alone means Apple’s system has personal data about you on their servers. Data they are responsible for. You may use that AppleID with the App, Music, Book or MacOS stores, which means Apple has financial data of yours on their system. You may use that AppleID with FaceTime or iMessage, which means Apple’s hardware is handling communications associated with your AppleID.

Whether or not you use iCloud for anything has nothing to do with the fact the moment you create an AppleID, Apple’s is thenceforth the steward of your personal information associated with that AppleID.

Apple 2 factor authentication has nothing to do with anyone’s devices they use. It also is not at all wholly related to iCloud. It is associated with an AppleID, the Apple system universal personal login ID associated with anything and everything you ever do with any and every Apple online service. And Apple has decided that simple passwords and an antiquated security question model is no longer sufficient to protect the personal online login IDs, and their associated data that Apple’s hardware holds, that their customers use with their proffered services (data Apple is liable for if their service systems are ever breached).

I get it; Apple has all my data and to cover themselves, they require 2FA. More ways our great technology makes life more complex.

Speaking of iCloud, iTunes, etc... is there any human being that understands how it works? Why do my work contacts appear on my teenage son's phone? Why do I get notified constantly that my iCloud storage is full, when I have never once, not once, actively stored even one thing on iCloud. Why does my iPhone auto-connect with my son's airpods, when I have never once listened to my phone on his airpods? Why are my files on OneDrive? I didn't ask for it and I don't want it. Why do I need iCloud and OneDrive?

raymor1 wrote:

But, why lie that you can turn off 2FA if they won't allow it? I had avoided it up to now----it's TOTALLY irritating!!!

Had had no problems with my data up to now. As a matter of fact, I keep NO data on iCloud.

They don't lie. They specifically tell you that it can only be turned off with in 14 days.

dondelash wrote:

Speaking of iCloud, iTunes, etc... is there any human being that understands how it works? Why do my work contacts appear on my teenage son's phone? Why do I get notified constantly that my iCloud storage is full, when I have never once, not once, actively stored even one thing on iCloud. Why does my iPhone auto-connect with my son's airpods, when I have never once listened to my phone on his airpods?

It sounds as if you're sharing an Apple ID with your son. You definitely should not be doing that.

Why are my files on OneDrive?

No one here would know why you signed up with a Microsoft service or continue to use it.