How to login icloud with verification code

Enabling a verification code for your account logins can be a powerful deterrent to account hijacks. Second-factor authentication (2FA) requires that someone not just know your account name or email address and password—both of which are vulnerable from billions of leaked accounts over the last few years—but also have access to a code that’s texted to you or generated by an app.

Apple built its own 2FA system for Apple IDs and related purposes and largely ignored support for other systems for quite a while. Then a couple of releases ago across iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, Messages started to recognize 2FA code arriving as a text message and offered to autofill them via the QuickType bar in iOS/iPadOS and via a drop-down auto-fill prompt in Safari for macOS.

In iOS 15/iPadOS 15 and Safari 15 for macOS, Apple took a big leap forward: it added direct support for time-based one-time passwords (TOTPs), a kind of verification code that Google first popularized and that’s widely used now. I’ve long recommended the free Authy app to handle TOTPs because Authy is much more flexible than Google Authenticator and sync securely among your devices. 1Password and other password managers also added TOTP support.

However, it’s a treat to rely on Apple’s built-in support via its Password features. If you’ve enabled iCloud Keychain, your verification codes also securely sync across all your linked devices. (Monterey elevates Passwords to first-class status as a System Preferences pane alongside Safari > Preferences > Passwords; that latter method is the only way to access Passwords in previous macOS releases.)

When you enroll at a site with 2FA, it typically provides you a pump-priming secret. That’s often delivered as both as a string of text and as a QR Code. The secret is kept by the site and stored in your TOTP manager. When you log in, the site performs a time-based algorithm against the shared secret that your TOTP manager does as well. You provide the result, and the site matches it against its calculation. The two will match only if both parties have the same secret.

In Safari on any Apple platform, you tap-and-hold or Control-click the QR Code, and you can opt to add it as a verification code. Then you’re prompted to select or search for an existing password entry to match it against. (If you don’t have an entry, you’ll need to create one first.)

In the future, whenever you visit a site that requires the code, Safari will provide it through QuickType or as a drop-down auto-fill prompt just as with a password.

If you’re already using a TOTP for an account, you may need to do one of the following:

• Unenroll from 2FA and re-enroll to regenerate the secret. Some sites will never display the secret after first enrolling.
• Provide the current code and additional verification information to display the TOTP. At that point, you can use the QR Code selection method above to add it to Passwords.

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Author: Glenn Fleishman, Senior Contributor

Glenn Fleishman’s most recent books include Take Control of iOS and iPadOS Privacy and Security, Take Control of Calendar and Reminders, and Take Control of Securing Your Mac. In his spare time, he writes about printing and type history. He’s a senior contributor to Macworld, where he writes Mac 911.

A strong password is the first step to securing your online accounts from unauthorized access. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection. Two-factor authentication in iCloud or Apple ID is a permanent action. Once you set up or use 2FA in your iCloud account, there’s no going back. The security mechanism cannot be turned off, deactivated, or disabled—either temporarily or permanently.

You’ll need to provide a six-digit verification code after entering your password whenever you sign in to Apple ID on a browser or new device. 2FA codes are sent to your phone number and devices connected to your Apple/iCloud account. But what happens when you lose your phone or Apple device?

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It can be difficult to access your iCloud account without 2FA, but it’s not impossible. In this tutorial, we’ll show how to bypass two-factor authentication in iCloud.

How to Bypass Two-Factor Authentication iCloud

As mentioned earlier, It’s not impossible to bypass iCloud’s two-factor authentication. However, the process can be quite daunting and time-consuming. To access your iCloud account without a 2FA code, you’ll need to prove to Apple that you own the account.

All you need is your email address, phone number, and your iCloud credit card details. You may need to initiate an account recovery process if you don’t have this information.

Add Another Trusted Phone Number

Adding a new phone number to Apple ID is one easy way to regain access to your account. You aren’t exactly bypassing the two-factor authentication system by doing this. Rather, you’re creating a new medium to receive 2FA codes.

This is the easiest way to access your Apple account if you lose the (primary/old) phone number where you receive 2FA codes.

Add Trusted Phone Number on iPhone or iPad

You can only add a trusted phone number from an Apple device linked to your Apple ID. Here’s how to add a trusted phone number from an iPhone or iPad:

1. Go to your Settings and select your Apple ID name, and select Password & Security.

1. Select Edit in the “Trusted Phone Number” section, select Add a Trusted Phone Number, and enter your iPhone or iPad’s passcode to continue.

1. Select your country code and enter your phone number. Apple will send a verification code to the number you provided. Select how you want to receive the code (Text Message or Phone Call) and select Send.

Enter the verification code and wait for Apple to link the phone number to your account. You should now get 2FA codes on the new number when you attempt to sign in to Apple ID on the web or unrecognized devices. 

Add Trusted Phone Number on a Mac

Follow these steps to add a trusted phone number to your iCloud account on a Mac desktop or computer.

1. Go to System Preferences > Apple ID > Password & Security and select Edit in the “Trusted Phone Numbers” row.

1. Select the plus icon.

1. Enter your Mac’s password and select Allow.

1. Select your country code, enter your phone number in the dialog box, select how you want to verify the phone number (text message or phone call), and select Continue.

When you next sign in on the web or a non-Apple device, you should get a 2FA code on the newly-added trusted phone number.

Provide Credit Card Information

Your credit card details may get you access to your iCloud account, especially if you can’t access your trusted phone number(s) and Apple devices.

1. Select Didn’t get a verification code? on the two-factor authentication page.

1. Select More Options.

1. Enter the phone number that receives the two-factor authentication codes and select Continue.

This helps Apple confirm that the iCloud or Apple ID account truly belongs to you. If you don’t remember the phone number, you’ll need to either reset your Apple ID password or initiate an account recovery process. Jump to the # section to learn more. Otherwise, proceed to step # to continue to recover your Apple ID.

1. Select the Continue button and Apple will proffer recovery solutions based on your selection.

If you select “Is your device offline?”, Apple will list steps to get a verification code from devices connected to your iCloud account.

Selecting the “Can’t use your phone number?” option will refer you to the page with instructions to update your phone number on Apple devices.

You’ll have to recover your Apple ID if you no longer have your phone number or Apple devices. Select Continue in the “Don’t have access to any of your Apple devices or your phone number?” section, and follow the prompts below.

1. Select Continue anyway to proceed.

1. Apple will send a verification code to your email address. Enter the code and select Continue. Otherwise, select Can’t use this email address? if you use a different email address. You’ll be prompted to enter details of the (credit) card connected to your Apple ID.

1. Select Don’t have access to this card if you no longer have the credit card.

1. Select Continue to proceed.

1. Enter your phone number on the next page if you can’t provide the verification code (sent to your email address) or credit card information. Select how you want to receive account recovery instructions—via text message or phone call—when Apple verifies your identity.

Apple says the verification process could take a few days or longer—depending on the information you provide. The more info you provide, the shorter the “wait time.” So, verifying your identity with your iCloud credit card is a quicker way to bypass iCloud two-factor authentication and regain access to your account.

You’ll get instructions to recover your account via text message or phone call when Apple verifies that you own the account.

2FA Can’t Stop You

Contacting Apple via chat or phone call won’t expedite the account recovery process because Apple Support representatives aren’t trained to verify users’ identities. They can only guide you through the steps.

If you don’t have your credit card details, fill out the contact form, and wait for Apple to send you account recovery instructions (via text or phone calls) after verifying your identity. Go through this Apple Support document to learn more about the two-factor authentication system.

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