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Setting up Two Factor, now stuck on "Approve This iPhone"

W

wlow3

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 9, 2008
246
46
My iPhone battery was eligible for replacement so I had to wipe my iPhone 6s to get it done. Upon restoring my iPhone from an encrypted backup, I decided to enable two factor authentication for the first time. My iPad and my iMac had no problem getting the 6 digit notification to approve the other device (and these notifications showed up on my iPhone), but for the iPhone I did not get a 6 digit notification on another device to approve it.

Now I have a red badged Follow Ups in Settings. Clicking it gives me:

Finish Setting Up iCloud
Continue
Enter the passcode from another device to access passwords, health, home and other protected data stored in iCloud.

Clicking Continue prompts for my iCloud passcode. Entering that prompts for my iPhone device password and says this:

Your passcode will be used to confirm your identity when signing into iCloud on a new device.

When I enter my passcode, I get:

Approve this iPhone
Go to one of your other devices signed in to iCloud to approve this iPhone.

I never get a notification on another device. My iPhone says "Waiting for Approval ..."

I can click Cancel or "Can't approve this iPhone?"

The latter gives me the option:

If you can't approve this iPhone from another device, reset your protected data to finish setting up iCloud.

That seems to erase "passwords, health, home and other protected data." I don't think I want to do that.

Is that Keychain stuff only? I do not have iCloud Keychain turned on on any device. I also don't appear to be locked out of anything. Messages, Notes etc sync to all devices.

Any suggestions as to what is happening and what I can do?
[doublepost=1483481190][/doublepost]Just want to add that I just went ahead and hit Reset My Data. Nothing appears to be different on my iPhone but I got no longer had to go though the Approve This iPhone to finish setting up iCloud. I have virtually no iCloud services turned on, so I'm guessing I'm ok.
 
That sounds like the iCloud Keychain prompt, not 2FA: if you haven't had a prompt on another device, going into iCloud settings on one of the already approved devices sometimes kicks it off
 
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Im having the same issue. I reset my phone last night and now am stuck in the verifying like OP. If I turn off two factor, I can get set up, but when I turn two factor back on I have to reverify and get stuck. Anyone else have any ideas?
 
Well, I turned off two factor authorization, got logged into the keychain then turned two factor back on and my MacBook showed a message that something was wrong. It allowed me to put in my password and then it worked.
 
I got stuck on this too. Can confirm "Passwords, home and other protected data stored in iCloud will be permanently deleted." Then a screen appeared saying resetting keychain (which I don't use).
 
bufffilm said:
Word to those that want to set up 2FA.

First, set up at least two verified phone numbers before anything. Otherwise, you're just opening up a whole can of hurt.
Click to expand...

How incredibly inane is that. I am a single person with one phone number. Now, I can't access anything because of this endless loop that I DIND'T WANT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
 
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This happened to me too 2FA. The code appeared on my MBA, but nothing appeared on my XS Max to enter the code. All it said was APPROVE THIS DEVICE (or iPHONE). It was frustrating. I did a RESET > ERASE ALL CONTENTS AND SETTINGS. Once I began the process of setting up as new, I bypasses 2FA, and chose to set it up later. This was the only way I knew to get around it.
 
rottenapple254 said:
How incredibly inane is that. I am a single person with one phone number. Now, I can't access anything because of this endless loop that I DIND'T WANT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Click to expand...
You raise a good point. My mom only has her 6 Plus. I plan on giving her my XS Max. She has this one and only Apple device. How would 2FA work for her? I do recall when you set-up the phone as new, you can bypass and SKIP 2FA.
 
I got rid of the two-step authentication and then I was fine. In my case without using iPhone or any other Apple device. Here is how I solved it:

- Find the e-mail that notifies you about the iCloud account change: "Two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID."
- Click the "return to your previous security settings" link in the e-mail body and confirm the action upon login to iCloud (request login code via SMS if necessary). The link in the e-mail seems to have an expiration period of 2 weeks.
- Reset your password
- Use your new device
 
Fully setup my XR yesterday, but didn’t run into this problem since it sent to code to my iPad.
 
ET iPhone Home said:
This happened to me too 2FA. The code appeared on my MBA, but nothing appeared on my XS Max to enter the code. All it said was APPROVE THIS DEVICE (or iPHONE). It was frustrating. I did a RESET > ERASE ALL CONTENTS AND SETTINGS. Once I began the process of setting up as new, I bypasses 2FA, and chose to set it up later. This was the only way I knew to get around it.
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1553647835][/doublepost] When you clicked reset did it delete all your messages pictures etc???
 
Gtheitalian said:
[doublepost=1553647835][/doublepost]
When you clicked reset did it delete all your messages pictures etc???
Click to expand...
I had nothing on it to begin with. I had to reset because I initially signed into my Apple I.D. on setup when I first bought it, but later gave the phone to my mom and that's when the issue happened, so I RESET as NEW before giving her the XS Max.
 
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