How does two factor authentication work?

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Level 1

9 points

How does two factor authentication work?

I'm trying to help my mom with her new iPhone. Her phone repeatedly demands she sign in with her Apple ID. Sometimes it will go for days without bugging her, sometimes it will require it several times in a day. It does seem to function normally even if we don't sign in, but it is annoying to have to keep dealing with it.

She doesn't want to put her thumbprint on the phone to stop this. If she picjs TFA with the six digit code every time she turns the phone back on or is it a one and done situation where she'll only have to do this once and never again?

Also, her iPhone is the only Apple device she has. Her computer is an old Windows PC. Will the six digit method even work by sending an e-mail to her PC?

iPhone SE (2nd generation)

Posted on May 9, 2024 11:00 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

JDW-Dayton

Level 1

122 points

May 9, 2024 12:50 PM in response to Chaz1138

If the phone is signed in with her Apple ID and password and it is correct at Messages and FaceTime it would seem she could just use a simple lock screen passcode. Her Apple ID is very specifically an email address that only she uses, correct? Have you signed into her iCloud to see that only the one device is listed? Is Family Sharing being used?

By the way is her “new” phone specifically new, having never been used linked to another Apple ID?

Also, others have successfully received their TFA single-use verification code on Windows PCs. I believe it can be a Trusted device. Make sure to set up your device as her Recovery device.

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Answer 2

Chaz1138 Author

Level 1

9 points

May 9, 2024 1:07 PM in response to JDW-Dayton

Well, she has no issues accessing her Messages, but she's never use FaceTime. We both use our phones very simply; no sicial apps (she has no social accounts), no banking information, banking apps, etc. We really just use our phones for phone calls, texting and grabbing some pics or video.

I've got her set up with a six digit lock code, but it still demands that she sign in to her Apple ID at random times.

Yes, her Apple ID is connected to her personal e-mail. No, I haven't signed in to her iCloud. Not entirely sure how to do that as we only use iCloud to store our Contacts and Messages. No, I do not believe Family Sharing is active on her iCloud. Ages ago, I had Home Sharing on my Apple computers so she could access my music library from her PC, but she never used it. I just turned Home Sharing off on my MacPro as none of my new devices will access iTunes to allow me to share my imported CDs to them.

I will look at her iPhone and see what is set up for a Recovery Device.

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Answer 3

Chaz1138 Author

Level 1

9 points

May 9, 2024 1:24 PM in response to JDW-Dayton

Okay, I see on her Apple ID that only her phone and her PC are connected.

I figured out how to login to her iCloud and only her phone is listed.

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