You can’t be too careful about security on your iPhone and one of the best ways to secure your phone is to two-factor authentication (2FA) . Two-factor authentication for iPhone makes it much harder for hackers to break into your phone and gain access to your data.
This article was written using iOS 13 but the basic concepts apply to all recent versions of iOS. The exact steps or menu names may vary slightly, but should be fairly similar.
What is two-factor authentication and why should you use it?
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security system that requires two pieces of information to access an account. The first piece of information, or factor, is the username and password combination. The second factor is usually a randomly generated numeric code.
Here’s how Apple’s 2FA system works. AT as the first factor he uses username and password apple id, and then randomly generates a code when you try to log into your account. Since each code can only be used once, the system is more difficult to hack. Two-factor authentication is built into sites iOS , macOS iPadOS, tvOS and Apple.
Two-factor authentication is not the same as two-step verification, which is an older — but less secure — option offered by Apple. Two-Step Verification only works in iOS 8 and earlier and macOS X 10.11. As long as you are using new software, you can only use two-factor authentication.
How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication on iPhone
Enabling two-factor authentication on your iPhone will protect both your Apple ID and the features on your iPhone that use your Apple ID. Here’s how to do it:
-
Click Settings .
-
Tap your name at the top of the screen.
-
Click » Password and safety» .
-
Click Enable two-factor authentication .
-
Click Proceed .
If you are asked to answer any of your Apple ID security questions, do so.
-
During the installation process, you will receive a verification code via text message or phone call. Enter the phone number to which you want to receive the code.
-
Choose to receive a code with text message or phone call .
-
Click Further .
-
When you receive the code, enter it. Two-factor authentication is now enabled for your Apple ID and iPhone.
Your Apple ID isn’t the only account you can secure with two-factor authentication. Use this feature to improve the security of all accounts, including Facebook , gmail , Fortnite and Yahoo Mail .
How to add trusted devices to iPhone
As an added layer of security, you can only use two-factor authentication to sign in with your Apple ID on a trusted device. This means that even if a hacker can get your Apple ID username and password and one-time code, they will also need physical access to one of your devices in order to log into your account. Pretty safe!
To add a trusted device to your account, follow these steps:
-
Start with a device that you haven’t used with two-factor authentication yet. It must be your device, not a friend’s or family member’s device. You will also need your iPhone nearby.
-
Sign in with your Apple ID.
-
On your iPhone, press » Allow» in a pop-up window that says that someone is logging into your Apple ID.
-
On your new device, sign in using the six-digit code sent to your iPhone.
Both your iPhone and the second device are now trusted and can sign in to your Apple ID without having to re-authenticate two-factor. Repeat this process for any number of your devices.
How to Delete Trusted Devices on iPhone
If you get rid of the device which was trusted in the past, you need to remove it from the list of trusted devices. If you don’t, the next owner of the device can access your account. To remove a device from the list of trusted devices:
