Apple introduced two-factor authentication (2FA) in 2015 to provide an enhanced level of security when accessing Apple ID accounts. With 2FA enabled, you'll be the only person who can access your account, regardless of whether someone learns your password – as the result of a hack or a phishing scam, for example – so it's well worth taking the time to enable the feature. In this article, we'll show you how.

How Two-Factor Authentication Works

2FA offers hardened security during login attempts by requesting that the user provides an extra piece of information only they would know.

2fa verification on ios
With 2FA enabled on your Apple ID account, the next time you try to log in you will be automatically sent a six-digit verification code to all the Apple devices you have registered to that Apple ID. If you try to access the account from an unknown device or on the web, 2FA also displays a map on all registered devices with an approximate location of where the Apple ID login attempt occurred.

In basic terms, this is an improved version of Apple's older two-step verification method, which prompted users to send a four-digit code to a registered SMS-capable device. Apple automatically upgraded most two-step verification users to 2FA as of iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, but if you're still on two-step verification for some reason, follow the steps below to manually upgrade to 2FA.

How to Turn Off Two-Step Verification

  1. Open a browser and go to appleid.apple.com
  2. Enter your Apple ID and password in the login fields.
  3. In the Security section of your account page, click the Edit button on the right.
  4. Check to make sure two-step verification is enabled rather than two-factor authentication, and click Turn off two-step verification.

How to Turn On Two-Factor Authentication in iOS

To turn on 2FA using an iPhone or iPad, it needs to be running iOS 9 or later. Note that if you're running iOS 10 or later and you have any other, older devices tied to your Apple ID that aren't compatible with 2FA, you'll receive a compatibility warning during the setup process.

On top of that, you'll also be asked to append a six-digit code to the end of your password whenever you authenticate a login on your older devices in future. You can potentially avoid this hassle by updating those devices to the latest version of iOS or macOS where possible.

With that in mind, perform the following steps on your iOS device:

  1. Open the Settings app and tap your Apple ID banner at the top of screen.
  2. Tap Password & Security.
  3. Tap Turn On Two-Factor Authentication, and then tap Continue on the next screen.
  4. Tap Turn On Anyway if you see a compatibility warning about older devices.
  5. Check your phone number is correct. (If it isn't, tap Use a Different Number at the bottom of the screen and input a new number.)
  6. Select Text message or Phone call for verification, and then tap Next.
  7. Enter your Passcode.

2fa ios e1517490695102

How to Turn On Two-Factor Authentication on a Mac

If it's a Mac you're using to enable two-factor authentication then make sure it's running OS X El Capitan or later. To turn on 2FA on Mac, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Apple () symbol in the menu bar at the top left of the desktop, and select System Preferences.
  2. Click the iCloud preferences pane.
  3. Click the Account Details button and select the Security tab.
  4. Click Turn on Two-Factor Authentication, and then click Continue in the drop-down pane.
  5. Check your phone number is correct and click Continue.

2fa mac 2

Verification Codes

With 2FA enabled, you'll be prompted to enter a new verification code every time you log in to your Apple ID account using iCloud.com or another Mac or iOS device. These codes will automatically appear on devices that are already logged into your Apple ID, but you can also request them manually using an iPhone or iPad, like so:

  1. Open the Settings app and tap on your Apple ID banner at the top of the screen.
  2. Tap Password & Security.
  3. Tap Get Verification Code.

2fa codes

Top Rated Comments

Primejimbo Avatar
97 months ago
User BEWARE!!
There's currently no way to recover your account using two factor authentication if you lose or forget your password and or the recovery key.
Without the recovery key the account and all its contents will be lost completely (all purchases)
The recovery key must be store in a "safe deposit box" outside the residence in case your house burns down i.e. Cal Wild Fires, floods, etc. and your recovery key was stored at home in a "safe" place.
DO NOT USE TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION if you do not store your password and recovery key outside the residence or in another cloud account where it can be readily accessed.
Yes there is. With the old way (2 step verification) you needed a recovery key. This way they are doing now, you don’t. I’m actually helped a person recover their data and they got a phone call in 12 days and got their account unlocked.

Personally, I rather have it so I need a recovery key.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
97 months ago
No way to recover if you lose your phone while travelling. Apple should allow two factor with a secondary email rather than phone number.
You can set up more than 1 trusted phone number.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Weaselboy Avatar
97 months ago
You can set up more than 1 trusted phone number.
Yep... you can even add your home phone and Apple will robo call you with the six digit code.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
twennywonn Avatar
97 months ago
User BEWARE!!
There's currently no way to recover your account using two factor authentication if you lose or forget your password and or the recovery key.
Without the recovery key the account and all its contents will be lost completely (all purchases)
The recovery key must be store in a "safe deposit box" outside the residence in case your house burns down i.e. Cal Wild Fires, floods, etc. and your recovery key was stored at home in a "safe" place.
DO NOT USE TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION if you do not store your password and recovery key outside the residence or in another cloud account where it can be readily accessed.
This is obviously by design for security reasons.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
97 months ago
Glad to see MR posting a much needed tutorial for those who may not know all that is involved.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Weaselboy Avatar
97 months ago
If you set someone up as a "trusted" number, do they get notified every single time you get an access code to get into an iCloud setting or whatever?

For whatever reason, every single time -- for example -- that I open iCloud.com in a browser I'm prompted for a code from a trusted device... even though I've checked "remember me" over and over.
No it defaults to the main iCloud account. You would need to manually tell it to use one of the other numbers for the other person to get the code.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...