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If your SE is a “Trusted Device” it will provide 2FA codes without cellular service. Codes come from either a trusted phone number, or a trusted device.
Yes but I only use SE as a backup at home for Apple things. I wanted to know if I can make SMS default so when I'm out with just my Android, I can just get the message without tapping I can't get a code and then SMS.
 
Yes but I only use SE as a backup at home for Apple things. I wanted to know if I can make SMS default so when I'm out with just my Android, I can just get the message without tapping I can't get a code and then SMS.
Doesn't look like you can change the default to SMS. The Apple support link says it's going to send a code to trusted devices and then if you need over SMS you tap Didn't get a code.
 
Don’t forget you can add multiple trusted numbers to your Apple account so that you can ask for the code to be sent another number in this very situation.


How do you do that if you’ve lost your phone? Not everyone carries multiple devices with them everywhere
 
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How do you do that if you’ve lost your phone? Not everyone carries multiple devices with them everywhere
If that was the only device then you would have to go to your carrier for a new phone and SIM. Or have a landline as a trusted number and get the robocall
 
How do you do that if you’ve lost your phone? Not everyone carries multiple devices with them everywhere
You don’t have to use a mobile. You can setup a landline as a trusted number, or your partner or a friend etc.
 
You can use a trusted landline to receive the verification code for the account, as well as other trusted phone numbers you have access to, as well as other Apple devices logged into the same Apple ID.
Interesting! This is something I was not aware of, probably since I have several trusted Apple devices. But I tried it anyway and it worked like a charm, I set my landline as an additional trusted number. Here in Germany it is actually pretty common to still have a landline, it usually comes with your internet connection anyway. Personally, I don't use it very much. But this is a useful application of the landline number, especially for people with just one trusted device. Thank you very much.
 
You don’t have to use a mobile. You can setup a landline as a trusted number, or your partner or a friend etc.

All very well but what if you and your partner split up, and you never remembered to update the number. Also a lot of people under 60 don’t have landlines these days. Is it possible to receive the code via an email? That would at least be a workaround (though not as good as not having 2FA enabled in the first place)
 
All very well but what if you and your partner split up, and you never remembered to update the number. Also a lot of people under 60 don’t have landlines these days. Is it possible to receive the code via an email? That would at least be a workaround (though not as good as not having 2FA enabled in the first place)
Email is not possible.
 
All very well but what if you and your partner split up, and you never remembered to update the number. Also a lot of people under 60 don’t have landlines these days. Is it possible to receive the code via an email? That would at least be a workaround (though not as good as not having 2FA enabled in the first place)
Can’t be helped if you don’t update your information if/when you change your number.
 
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Can’t be helped if you don’t update your information if/when you change your number.


Much better not to have the system in the first place given that it’s so deeply flawed

Also, the fact that you can’t get it via email is insane

It’s almost as if Apple do it on purpose to force people to buy more devices
 
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Much better not to have the system in the first place given that it’s so deeply flawed

Also, the fact that you can’t get it via email is insane

It’s almost as if Apple do it on purpose to force people to buy more devices
Email is a very insecure method of communication so I can see why thats not used. SMS is barely much better but there has to be some fallback option.

The system is only as flawed as the user makes it.
 
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Email is a very insecure method of communication so I can see why thats not used. SMS is barely much better but there has to be some fallback option.

The system is only as flawed as the user makes it.

Well yeah, the fact that you’ve lost your phone might make SMS a bit of an issue lol
 
All very well but what if you and your partner split up, and you never remembered to update the number. Also a lot of people under 60 don’t have landlines these days. Is it possible to receive the code via an email? That would at least be a workaround (though not as good as not having 2FA enabled in the first place)
You can’t use email. But if you’re from the US, you can use a Google Voice number for free. If you wanted to use email anyway you might as well (you could use a Gmail account). To sign up for Google Voice you need a Google Account and a US number for verification on Google Voice. And that’s pretty much it. So you would only need to be able to sign in to Google Voice in the browser to receive a text code from iCloud. But the catch-22 for me is that I use 2-factor with Google which a lot of people do as well, so in your scenario of losing your phone you also can’t sign in on email. I guess the problem with email is that if you use email with just password security it’s just not secure, your password can get blown in database leaks and then if someone can get your email they can get your iCloud and then when they get your iCloud they get a lot of other things.
 
Yes but I only use SE as a backup at home for Apple things. I wanted to know if I can make SMS default so when I'm out with just my Android, I can just get the message without tapping I can't get a code and then SMS.
SMS doesn’t work that way. It’s a mobile service, SMS messages HAVE to be received by the iPhone. From there, it can be synced/forwarded to other devices on a data-only connection but the initial message, doesn’t come via Data - it comes via the mobile carrier signal.
 
SMS doesn’t work that way. It’s a mobile service, SMS messages HAVE to be received by the iPhone. From there, it can be synced/forwarded to other devices on a data-only connection but the initial message, doesn’t come via Data - it comes via the mobile carrier signal.
SMS does work that way. The poster wants the phone number on their android phone to be the default method of receiving the 2FA code, not the backup. It’s not possible to do as SMS is always the backup option with Apple.
 
Much better not to have the system in the first place given that it’s so deeply flawed

Also, the fact that you can’t get it via email is insane

It’s almost as if Apple do it on purpose to force people to buy more devices
I think it's more insane to not be able to disable it if you have all the means to verify
 
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