How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication for Your Apple ID

Two-factor authentication is a security measure that ensures you’re the only person who can access your account and not an unauthorized individual. Even if someone manages to steal your password, they won’t be able to access your account and personal details without your consent.

How Does Two-Factor Authentication Work?

When you enable two-factor authentication, your Apple ID can only be used on the Apple devices that you’ve authorized, such as your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. If you sign in from a new device, a verification code will be sent to the trusted devices or to a verified phone number. By entering this verification code on the new device, it will be added to your list of trusted devices.

The verification code is only required once during the setup of a new device. It won’t be asked again unless you sign out of your account from your device, erase or restore your device, or change your password for security reasons.

Therefore, with two-factor authentication enabled, even if someone has your Apple ID password and attempts to access it from an unknown device, they won’t be able to log in without the verification code that was sent to your phone number or trusted device.

To enable two-factor authentication, you must have an iOS device running iOS 9.0 and later, or a Mac with OS X El Capitan and later installed.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to enable two-factor authentication using iOS or Mac.

How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication for Apple ID

iOS 10.3 or later

Step 1: Open the Settings app.

Step 2: Tap on your name at the top of the Settings app.

Step 3: Tap on Password & Security.

Step 4: If prompted, enter your Apple ID password.

Step 5: Tap on Turn On Two-Factor Authentication.

Step 6: Press Continue.

Step 7: Enter the phone number where you wish to receive verification codes, then tap on the Next button in the top right corner.

Step 8: Input the verification code that was sent to the phone number you just provided.

iOS 10.2 or earlier

Step 1: Go to Settings > iCloud.

Step 2: Tap on your Apple ID at the top of the page and choose Password & Security.

Step 3: If prompted, enter your Apple ID password.

Step 4: Tap on Turn On Two-Factor Authentication.

Step 5: Press Continue.

Step 6: Enter the phone number where you wish to receive verification codes, then tap on the Next button in the top right corner.

Step 7: Input the verification code that was sent to the phone number you just provided.

OS X El Capitan and later

Step 1: Click on the Apple menu and choose System Preferences.

Step 2: Click on iCloud, then press Account Details.

Step 3: Go to the Security tab and click on the ‘Turn On Two-Factor Authentication’ button.

Step 4: Enter your preferred phone number where you wish to receive verification codes.

Step 5: Input the verification code that was sent to the phone number you just provided.

Two-factor authentication is now enabled for your Apple ID. Whenever you, or someone else, attempts to sign into your Apple ID account from a new device, a verification code is sent to the registered phone number or to the trusted devices. This code must be entered before you can sign in from a new device.