Turn-off 2 factor authentication

1

Hi. I’m really stuck. And I’m hoping someone can help me.

It’s my Mum. She’s 77. She has an iPad and it’s her only device. She doesn’t have an iPhone. She has a landline. She doesn’t have a laptop.

She has a password but I’ve turned off 2-factor authentication because (as far as I know) can’t use it properly if the iPad is her only device.

The problem: ever since she upgraded to iPadOS 14 apple has been tricking her into turning on 2-factor authentication. Not by asking her to turn it in, but telling her to upgrade her security.

It also, since the iPadOS 14 upgrade, keeps logging her out of her appleid.

I’m flummoxed. It’s actually rather stressful be is she keeps having to type in her password. (Which is hard enough). And then it turns on 2-factor auth and then I turns it off and then it forces her to sign in.

I’m a computer scientist, by training, and I don’t know what to do.

The iPad is currently chasing more pain than pleasure for her, and me, and it’s the way we mostly communicate (through messages).

Help?

2

There’s information at the linked article about turning 2FA off. Note that you only have two weeks after turning it on to turn it off.

As a workaround, could she use one of your devices to receive any authorization codes (you could call her with the code)? A code should only be needed if she signs out of her Apple ID.

3

I did not know this. It seems rather draconian, does it not?

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4

Yeah, I was thinking about this today. I wonder if erasing the device clears it?

5

Thanks @JohnAtl and @jec0047.

It looks like Apple is going to enforce 2FA for all users going forward. From what I’ve read, it looks like they’re forcing (and tricking) existing users to switch, and they’re forcing new users to use it without choice.

I guess it’s okay if you have more than one apple device on hand.

It’s awful if you don’t.

6

You could add her apple ID to your iPhone and receive her 2 factor codes on her behalf. Might work in that she probably won’t be getting logged out much at all.

All you need to do is add her apple ID as a second apple ID. This is what developers do if they have a personal and dev apple ID. Now, Apple have changed this in iOS 14 and it’s really obscure. You need to proceed as though you’re adding an email account.

Settings>Mail>Accounts>Add Account>iCloud

Seems you can have a few apple IDs signed in with nothing turned on, but you will get her 2FA codes for her.

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7

Setup her Apple ID with your cellphone number as backup. Perhaps you can add a used iPod touch to the mix.

Once the Apple ID has been properly setup it should only occasionally ask for password or 2FA.

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9

Thanks! I’ve done just that. I really appreciate your help.

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10

Thanks! I’ve done just that. That was very helpful.

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