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General iCloud 2 Factor Authentication

alanplum

alanplum

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 20, 2012
264
60
Bristol, UK
Just to be clear, I mean two factor authentication not two step verification.

Just wondered who out there has now got this switched on?

My mate at work managed to get his turned on (he's in UK)

Mine just keeps saying it's not available for my Apple ID at this time.

I've probably tried 4 different people with no joy.

And yes...all my devices meet the criteria.
 
alanplum said:
Just to be clear, I mean two factor authentication not two step verification.

Just wondered who out there has now got this switched on?

My mate at work managed to get his turned on (he's in UK)

Mine just keeps saying it's not available for my Apple ID at this time.

I've probably tried 4 different people with no joy.

And yes...all my devices meet the criteria.
Click to expand...

I believe that even if all your devices are eligible, it's still being rolled out in waves. You just have to wait. I'm in the same boat.

(Also the support article says "other criteria will be used to determine availability" -- i.e. Other than just having updated software. They don't say what.)
 
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jpgr15 said:
Excuse my cluelessness, but what is the difference?
Click to expand...

From what I understand, two-step verification is just when the second factor of the login process is something like a code sent to your email or through a text message, whereas two factor authentication requires a physical object, be it a SecurID, a pop up on your phone (what iCloud does), or something like a finger scanner or Smart Card.

However, Apple bundles that under one roof, so I'm not sure what OP is asking about.
 
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you can find articles about the two on apples site if you google.

the practical difference seems to be:
two-step sends a code to you to enter on the device you're signing in on.
two-factor sends a confirmation dialog and button to a 2nd device.

but please correct me if wrong.
 
Problem with two-factor is it eliminates the recovery key piece. So if you have to restore an account you must go thru Apple support. I may be wrong but that's what I understand.
 
whsbuss said:
Problem with two-factor is it eliminates the recovery key piece. So if you have to restore an account you must go thru Apple support. I may be wrong but that's what I understand.
Click to expand...

I take it from the lack of responses that no one has managed to turn two factor authentication on then.

Looks like it's still a waiting game.
 
alanplum said:
I take it from the lack of responses that no one has managed to turn two factor authentication on then.

Looks like it's still a waiting game.
Click to expand...
You could help clear up confusion about it in the meantime
 
alanplum said:
I take it from the lack of responses that no one has managed to turn two factor authentication on then.
Click to expand...

Nope. You take it wrong. As you mentioned in your original post, some people have been able to turn it on. It's just that you've already been given the answer to your question and there's not much more to talk about.
 
PNutts said:
Nope. You take it wrong. As you mentioned in your original post, some people have been able to turn it on. It's just that you've already been given the answer to your question and there's not much more to talk about.
Click to expand...

No I have not been given the answer to my question. My original question was

Just wondered who out there has now got this switched on?

So I am asking people to respond if they do or don't.

So in my mind, there is more to talk about.

If you don't won't to contribute to this thread, then hop on.....
 
PNutts said:
You answered your own question, even though you got it wrong.
Click to expand...
Fine, I'll rephrase the question.....

Has any member of these forums (with the exception of my mate Dave and the troll known as PNutts) managed to switch on 2 Factor Authentication?

If so, can you let us know when you were able to?

Many Thanks
 
alanplum said:
Fine, I'll rephrase the question.....

Has any member of these forums (with the exception of my mate Dave and the troll known as PNutts) managed to switch on 2 Factor Authentication?

If so, can you let us know when you were able to?

Many Thanks
Click to expand...
Enabled it a few minutes ago, I had been using Two-step Verification.

I turned off Two-step verification on appleid.apple.com, Two-factor was then available on my iPhone.
 
webbuzz said:
Enabled it a few minutes ago, I had been using Two-step Verification.

I turned off Two-step verification on appleid.apple.com, Two-factor was then available on my iPhone.
Click to expand...

Congratulations, you're one of the few by the looks of it.

Mine still wont turn on.

I'd love to know what the rollout schedule is? I'm on another thread which talks about...

When you created your Apple ID
Rollout by surname
Rollout by geo
etc...

Doesn't seem to be any visible structure to it.
 
webbuzz said:
Enabled it a few minutes ago, I had been using Two-step Verification.

I turned off Two-step verification on appleid.apple.com, Two-factor was then available on my iPhone.
Click to expand...

Are you saying you have to turn off 2-step first BEFORE 2-factor is available? How would one know if 2-factor is available for their AppleID?
 
alanplum said:
Congratulations, you're one of the few by the looks of it.

Mine still wont turn on.

I'd love to know what the rollout schedule is? I'm on another thread which talks about...

When you created your Apple ID
Rollout by surname
Rollout by geo
etc...

Doesn't seem to be any visible structure to it.
Click to expand...
I had been trying since Two-factor was announced. You can try by turning Two-step off and always turn it back on if Two-factor isn't available.

If this helps
Apple ID was created ~ 2009 or 2010
Surname is within first 5 letters of Alphabet
United States


whsbuss said:
Are you saying you have to turn off 2-step first BEFORE 2-factor is available? How would one know if 2-factor is available for their AppleID?
Click to expand...
That is the only way the option appeared for me. Not saying that is the way Apple intended.
 
Last edited:
FYI: I turned two-step off on appleid.apple.com, setup secret questions and saved the profile change. On my iPhone if went back to iCloud-ID-Security and selected the two-factor activation option. Setup took about a minute to complete. Keep trying for the option.
 
Can verify, this worked for me when I accessed through appleid.apple.com, that's the way to get it to work.
 
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