2-factor authentication for Apple tree ID

Two-cistron authentication is an extra layer of security for your Apple tree ID designed to ensure that you're the only person who tin access your account, even if someone knows your countersign.

How it works

With two-factor authentication, only yous can admission your account on a trusted device or the spider web. When you desire to sign in to a new device for the first fourth dimension, y'all'll need to provide two pieces of data—your password and the six-digit verification code that's automatically displayed on your trusted devices or sent to your phone number. By entering the lawmaking, you're verifying that you trust the new device. For example, if you take an iPhone and are signing into your account for the first time on a newly purchased Mac, you'll be prompted to enter your countersign and the verification lawmaking that's automatically displayed on your iPhone.

Because your password lonely is no longer plenty to access your account, 2-cistron authentication dramatically improves the security of your Apple ID and all the personal information you store with Apple.

Once signed in, you won't be asked for a verification code on that device again unless you sign out completely, erase the device, or need to alter your countersign for security reasons. When you lot sign in on the web, you tin choose to trust your browser, and then you lot won't be asked for a verification lawmaking the adjacent time you sign in from that computer.

Trusted devices

A trusted device is an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS ix or after, or Mac with Os X El Capitan or later that yous've already signed in to using two-factor authentication. It's a device nosotros know is yours and that can exist used to verify your identity by displaying a verification code from Apple when you sign in on a different device or browser. An Apple Sentinel with watchOS half dozen or later can receive verification codes when you sign in with your Apple tree ID, but cannot deed every bit a trusted device for countersign resets.

Trusted telephone numbers

A trusted phone number is a number that can be used to receive verification codes by text message or automated phone call. You must verify at least one trusted phone number to enroll in 2-factor authentication.

You should also consider verifying an additional phone number you lot can access, such as a dwelling house telephone, or a number used by a family unit member or shut friend. Yous can use this number if you temporarily can't admission your primary number or your ain devices.

Verification codes

Prepare two-cistron authentication for your Apple tree ID

Turn on two-factor hallmark on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod bear upon

  1. Go to Settings > [your proper noun] > Password & Security.
  2. Tap Plow On Two-Gene Authentication.
  3. Tap Go along.
  4. Enter the phone number where you want to receive verification codes when you sign in. You tin choose to receive the codes by text message or automated telephone call.
  5. Tap Next.
  6. Enter the verification code to verify your phone number and turn on two-factor hallmark.

You lot might be asked to answer your Apple ID security questions.

Plow on two-factor authentication on your Mac

  1. Choose Apple card  > System Preferences, then click Apple ID.
  2. Click Password & Security under your name.
  3. Next to Two-Factor Authentication, click Turn On.

If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier:

  1. Choose Apple tree menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud, and select Business relationship Details.
  2. Click Security.
  3. Click Plough On Two-Gene Authentication.

Some Apple IDs created in iOS 10.three or macOS 10.12.iv and later are protected with two-cistron authentication by default. In this case, you see that 2-gene authentication is already turned on.

Upgrade to two-gene authentication on the web

  1. Go to appleid.apple.com, and so sign in with your Apple ID.
  2. Answer your security questions, and so tap Continue.
  3. You'll see a prompt to upgrade your business relationship security. Tap Keep.
  4. Click Upgrade Account Security.
  5. Enter the phone number where y'all want to receive verification codes when you sign in. Y'all tin can choose to receive the codes by text message or automated telephone telephone call.
  6. Click Continue.
  7. Enter the verification code to verify your phone number and turn on two-factor authentication.

If y'all have an Apple tree ID that'south not protected by ii-gene authentication, some Apple web sites might ask y'all to update your business relationship.

What to call up when you apply two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication significantly improves the security of your Apple ID. After you turn it on, signing into your account will require both your password and admission to your trusted devices or trusted phone number. To keep your account as secure as possible and help ensure yous never lose access, there are a few elementary guidelines yous should follow:

  • Call up your Apple tree ID password.
  • Use a device passcode on all your devices.
  • Go along your trusted phone number(due south) upwards to engagement.
  • Continue your trusted devices physically secure.

Manage your business relationship

You tin manage your trusted phone numbers, trusted devices, and other account information from your Apple ID account page.

Manage your trusted phone numbers

To utilize ii-gene hallmark, yous demand at least one trusted phone number on file where you can receive verification codes. Consider verifying an boosted trusted phone number other than your ain phone number. If your iPhone is your only trusted device and it is missing or damaged, you will be unable to receive verification codes required to access your account.

Update your trusted phone number on your Apple ID account page

  1. Go to appleid.apple tree.com.
  2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
  3. Get to the Security department and click Edit.

If y'all want to add a phone number, click Add together a Trusted Telephone Number and enter the telephone number. Choose to verify the number with a text message or automated phone call, and click Continue. To remove a trusted telephone number, clickx icon adjacent to the phone number you want to remove.

View and manage your trusted devices

You lot tin can view and manage a listing of your trusted devices on iOS, macOS, and in the Devices department of your Apple ID account page.

On iOS:

  1. Go to Settings > [your proper noun].
  2. Select a device from the list.

On macOS Catalina or later:

  1. Cull Apple carte du jour  > Arrangement Preferences.
  2. Select Apple tree ID.
  3. Select a device from the sidebar.

On macOS Mojave or earlier:

  1. Choose Apple bill of fare  > System Preferences.
  2. Select iCloud, so click Business relationship Details.
  3. Click the Devices tab.
  4. Select a device from the listing.

On the web:

  1. Get to your Apple ID business relationship page.
  2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
  3. Get to the Devices section.

The device list shows the devices that you're currently signed in to with your Apple ID. Select a device to view device info like the model and serial number. Below that you can encounter other useful information, including whether or non the device is trusted and can be used to receive Apple tree ID verification codes.

You lot tin as well remove a trusted device by selecting Remove from Account from the device list. Removing a trusted device will ensure that information technology can no longer brandish verification codes and that access to iCloud, and other Apple services on the device, is blocked until you sign in again with two-gene hallmark. If you need to observe or erase your device before you remove it from your trusted device list, you can use Find My iPhone.

Generate app-specific passwords

With ii-gene authentication, you need an app-specific password to sign in to your account using third-party apps or services such every bit email, contacts, or calendar apps not provided past Apple tree. Follow these steps to generate an app-specific countersign:

  1. Sign in to your Apple ID account folio.
  2. Click Generate Countersign beneath App-Specific Passwords.
  3. Follow the steps on your screen.

After you lot generate your app-specific password, enter or paste it into the password field of the app as you would normally.

Frequently asked questions

Need assist? Yous might find the answer to your question below.

What if I forget my password?

You lot can reset or change your password from your trusted device or browser when you follow these steps.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod bear on

  1. Go to Settings > [your name].
  2. Tap Password & Security > Modify Password.
  3. Enter a new password.

On your Mac

  1. Cull Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Apple tree ID.
  2. Click Password & Security, then click Change Password.

If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier:

  1. Choose Apple menu  > Organization Preferences, and then click iCloud.
  2. Choose Account Details. If you're asked to enter your Apple ID password, click Forgot Apple tree ID or countersign and follow the onscreen instructions. You can skip the steps below.
  3. Click Security > Reset Password. Before yous tin can reset your Apple ID password, enter the password used to unlock your Mac.

On the spider web

If you don't take admission to an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, you tin can reset or alter your countersign from iforgot.apple.com.

What if I can't access a trusted device or didn't receive a verification code?

If you're signing in and don't have a trusted device handy that can display verification codes, you can have a code sent to your trusted phone number via text bulletin or an automatic telephone call instead. Click Didn't Get a Lawmaking on the sign in screen and choose to send a code to your trusted phone number. You can also go a code directly from Settings on a trusted device. Learn how to get a verification code.

If y'all use iOS eleven.iii or later on your iPhone, y'all might not need to enter a verification lawmaking. In some cases, your trusted phone number tin be automatically verified in the groundwork on your iPhone. It's ane less thing to do, and your business relationship is still protected with two-factor authentication.

If I tin can't sign in, how do I regain admission to my business relationship?

If you can't sign in, access a trusted device, reset your password, or receive verification codes, you tin request account recovery to regain access to your business relationship. Business relationship recovery is an automatic process designed to get you back in to your account as rapidly as possible while denying admission to anyone who might exist pretending to exist yous. Information technology might have a few days—or longer—depending on what specific business relationship data you tin can provide to verify your identity.

If yous generated a recovery central, you can utilise your recovery central to regain admission to your account instead. Learn more about using a recovery key.

Practise I nevertheless demand to remember whatever security questions?

No. With 2-cistron authentication, you don't need to remember any security questions. We verify your identity exclusively using your password and verification codes sent to your trusted devices and phone numbers. When you enroll in two-factor hallmark, we keep your quondam security questions on file for ii weeks in case you demand to render your business relationship to its previous security settings. After that, they're deleted.

Can Apple Support assist me regain admission to my account?

Apple Back up tin answer your questions nearly the account recovery process, only can't verify your identity or expedite the process in any way.

What are the system requirements for two-gene hallmark?

For the best experience, make sure that you meet these system requirements on all of the devices you employ with your Apple ID:

  • iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on with iOS ix and later
  • Mac with Os X El Capitan and iTunes 12.3 and later
  • Apple Watch with watchOS two and after
  • Apple TV HD with tvOS
  • Windows PC with iCloud for Windows 5 and iTunes 12.3.3 and later

Can Apple IDs created for children use two-factor authentication?

Yes. Any Apple ID that meets the basic system requirements tin enroll in two-cistron authentication. Learn more nigh who can use two-factor hallmark.

What if I don't recognize the location shown in my sign in notification?

When you sign in on a new device, you lot'll become a notification on your other trusted devices that includes a map showing the guess location of the new device. This is an judge location based on the IP address the device is currently using, rather than the exact location of the device. The location shown might reflect the network y'all're connected to, and not your physical location.

If you lot know you're the person trying to sign in but you don't recognize the location shown, yous can even so tap Allow and keep signing in. However, if y'all e'er see a notification that your Apple ID is existence used to sign in on a new device and y'all're not the one signing in, tap Don't Allow to cake the sign in endeavour.

What if I employ two-factor authentication on a device running older software?

If yous employ 2-gene authentication with devices running older OS versions—like an Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation)—you lot might be asked to add your half dozen-digit verification code to the finish of your password when signing in. Get your verification code from a trusted device running iOS 9 and later or Bone X El Capitan and afterward, or take it sent to your trusted phone number. And so type your password followed by the six-digit verification lawmaking direct into the password field.

Can I turn off two-factor hallmark later I've turned information technology on?

If y'all already use two-gene authentication, yous can no longer turn it off. Certain features in the latest versions of iOS and macOS require this actress level of security, which is designed to protect your data. If you recently updated your account, you can unenroll within ii weeks of enrollment. Just open your enrollment confirmation email and click the link to return to your previous security settings. Keep in mind, this makes your account less secure and means that you tin't use features that require higher security.

Is this different than Apple'due south older ii-step verification characteristic?

Yes. Two-factor authentication is congenital direct into iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and Apple tree's web sites. It uses dissimilar methods to trust devices and deliver verification codes, and offers a more streamlined user feel. Y'all need ii-factor authentication to use certain features that require improved security.

If yous already use 2-footstep verification and want to update to two-factor hallmark, acquire how to switch to 2-factor authentication. If your business relationship isn't eligible for two-factor hallmark, you can still use ii-step verification to protect your information.

Information virtually products non manufactured by Apple, or contained websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the choice, performance, or utilize of third-party websites or products. Apple tree makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional data.

Published Date: