Use two-factor authentication for security on your Mac, iOS devices, and iPadOS devices
Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security for your Apple ID designed to ensure that you’re the only one who can access your account—even if someone knows your password.
See the Apple Support article Two-factor authentication for Apple ID.
Turn on two-factor authentication for your Apple ID
When you sign in to your account, you see that two-factor authentication is already on if it was turned on in the past. If it’s not on, you can turn it on while setting up a new Mac, or follow the steps below any time to turn it on in Password & Security preferences.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select Password & Security in the sidebar.Click Set Up Two-Factor Authentication, then click Continue.
Answer the verification questions, then click Verify.
Enter your phone number for verification, select a verification method, then click Continue.
When asked, verify your identity with the six-digit verification code sent to your trusted phone. You won’t be asked for a verification code again on your Mac unless you sign out your Apple ID completely, erase your Mac, or need to change your password for security reasons.
Sign in to a new device or browser with two-factor authentication
A verification code is a temporary code sent to your trusted devices or phone number when you sign in to a new device or browser with your Apple ID.
When you’re asked for the verification code, look for a notification at a trusted phone number or on any of your trusted devices.
To send the code to a trusted phone number, click “Didn’t get a verification code?” in the notification, then choose the phone number.
On a trusted device, tap or click Allow to see the code on that device.
Enter the code on your Mac.
Get a verification code on a Mac, even when it’s offline
If you can’t receive a verification code on your phone or trusted devices, or if none of them are available, you can get a verification code in Password & Security preferences, even if your Mac is offline.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select Password & Security in the sidebar.Click Get Verification Code.
Write down the verification code or enter it in the notification, then click OK.
Add a trusted device
To make a Mac (macOS 10.11 or later), an iOS device (iOS 9), or an iPadOS device a trusted device, you must sign in using your Apple ID on the Mac or device.
Adding a Mac (macOS Catalina): Choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, then click Sign In and enter your Apple ID. Follow the onscreen instructions.Adding a Mac (macOS Mojave or earlier): Choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click iCloud, then click Sign In and enter your Apple ID. Follow the onscreen instructions.Adding an iOS or iPadOS device: Tap Settings > your name at the top of the screen. (If you’re using a device with iOS 10.2 or earlier, tap Settings > iCloud.) Verify your identity with a six-digit verification code.
If you previously signed in to your Mac, iOS, or iPadOS device using a different Apple ID, sign out, then sign in again.
You won’t be asked for a verification code again on that device unless you sign out of your Apple ID completely, erase your device, or need to change your password for security reasons.
Add or remove a trusted phone number
You must verify at least one trusted phone number to enroll in two-factor authentication.
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select Password & Security in the sidebar.Click Edit, then do any of the following:
To add a phone number, click the Add button
. Enter your Mac login password. Enter a phone number that can be used to verify your identity. Select whether you want to be reached by text or phone call, then click Continue. Enter the code sent to the email address or phone number and click Next. Your trusted phone numbers appear in a list.To remove an email or phone number, select a phone number, click the Delete button
, then click Remove.
View or remove trusted devices
On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, then click Apple ID.A list of your trusted devices appears at the bottom of the sidebar.
Do any of the following:
View details of a trusted device: Select a device in the list to see details about it.
Remove a trusted device: Select a device in the list, click Remove from Account, then click Remove.
If you already use two-factor authentication, you can no longer turn it off. Certain features in the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS require this extra level of security. If you recently updated your account to turn on two-factor authentication and then decide not to use it, you must stop using it within 2 weeks. Open your enrollment confirmation email and click the link to return to your previous security settings.
You can manage your trusted devices and phone numbers by signing in to your Apple ID account page.