Last Updated on January 3, 2020 by Husain Parvez
The methods on how to approve iPhone are out there, but which of them is the most effective in getting your smartphone up and running again? This guide will help you to understand the process to approve an iOS device, and how you can do it the easy way.
The modern smartphone is capable of doing everything from making online payments, to keep a stock of your personal content. The fact that mobile devices have become a hub of personal, financial, and business data, makes them a prime target for malicious attackers. Apple has always been big on mobile security, offering features such as USB Restricted Mode in the beginning to limit the transfer of files and data from the mobile device to a computer.
The inclusion of two-factor authentication has severely limited the occurrence of cyber-attacks on mobile users, and while Android does still struggle to secure its older devices, iOS has been seemingly impenetrable for years now. One of the key security protocols put forward by Apple to ensure the security and safety of iPhone users has been the iCloud Keychain Services, which includes protection of your passwords that are synced with iCloud.
Approve This iPhone – What does it mean?
No matter how long your password is, or how secure you make it by using special characters, having a single layer of protection just does not cut it anymore. iCloud has introduced a two-factor authentication system to safeguard the user’s content under all circumstances, which may be a robust defense against online attacks, but it can sometimes be counterproductive as well.
With this added layer of security-enabled for your iOS device, you will need to authenticate your sign-in through text message, phone call, or another “trusted” iOS device, even if you do have the correct password to your iCloud account. Hence, there is more than just one method that you can employ to learn how to approve iPhone and iPad and begin using them.
How to Approve iPhone from another iOS device
If you are trying to use an existing iCloud account on a new iOS device, you will need to know how to approve iPhone first. The message to “Approve This iPhone” will appear on your device screen when the two-factor authentication is turned on for your Apple account, which also means that one of the other “trusted” iOS devices have been enabled as well. For instance, if you have added your home iPad as a trusted device, you can use it to approve any other iOS device too.
Note: Apple introduced the method to approve iOS devices after the release of iOS 9 on iPhone and iPad, and Max OS X El Capitan, hence, older devices are not compatible.
- Get a hold of one of the “trusted” iOS devices which have the iCloud Keychain service enabled on it already.
- When you attempt to sign-in on the new iOS device, the trusted device will display a pop-up window, notifying you about the sign-in request.
- Tap the Allow button on the screen and wait for the verification code to appear.
- Use the verification code on your trusted device and enter it into the new iOS device you’re trying to sign into.
You will now be granted access by iCloud Keychain to use your iCloud account on the new iOS device that you have set up.
Approve iPhone via call or text
In case you don’t have another trusted iOS device nearby, there’s another way that can be used on how to approve iPhone easily. Since all you need is the verification code to get started, you can have it texted, or get Apple to set up a phone call to your trusted phone number. The two-factor authentication system requires you to add your phone number, so you can use your personal contact number as a means to approve the device.
- When asked to enter the Apple ID Verification Code, press the button that says “Didn’t Get a Code?”.
- Using the prompt window, choose to send the code to your trusted phone number.
- You now either receive a text message or a phone call on your registered number, notifying you of the verification code.
- Enter the code into the pop-up window of the iOS device you wish to approve and continue.
Manually retrieve the Apple ID Verification Code
A recurring complaint among users who have been trying to understand how to approve iPhone and iPad has been the fact that they don’t seem to receive the verification code. To get around this problem and find a way to the verification code, Apple has added a nifty feature into iOS itself, allowing you to manually fetch the Apple ID Verification Code right from the Settings app.
- Head over to the Settings app on your trusted iOS device.
- Tap on the first tab that denotes your name in the iCloud account set up on the device.
- Under the Password & Security tab, find the Get Verification Code button and tap on it.
- A pop-up window will display the Apple ID Verification Code, which you can then type into the iOS device you want to approve and continue.
This method is especially useful if you don’t have access to the phone number that you initially used to set up your Apple ID account.
Bonus: Turn off iCloud Keychain
One of the reasons that iCloud was founded in the first place, was to compete with Google Autofill, which allows users to securely store their passwords with their Google account. iCloud Keychain works the same way, but the fact that you have various user logins and passwords locked down with a single Apple ID, makes it even more important to secure it. However, iCloud Keychain is the reason why many users are plagued with the “Approve This iPhone” screen over and over again, so turning the feature off might save you a lot of trouble.
- Head over to the Settings app on your trusted iOS device.
- Tap on the first tab that denotes your name in the iCloud account set up on the device.
- Find the iCloud tab and then look down to find the Keychain
- Press the toggle switch right next to Keychain to turn off the feature.
With the iCloud Keychain turned off, you won’t be able to make the most out of iCloud Autofill, but this should also keep the “Approve This iPhone” pop-up at bay too.
Final Words
As the mobile phone user base all around the world increases by millions each year, the threat of cyberbullying, online phishing, and privacy intrusion get more significant. No matter how safe you are during your mobile usage session, the interconnected services of financial apps, social media handles, and personal data leave room for trouble, which is the very reason services like two-factor authentication exist in the first place. However, being locked out of your device isn’t a pretty sight either, which is why we’ve mentioned every method on how to approve iPhone and iPad in the guide above.
Which if these tested methods to approve iPhone worked out the best for you to get back to using your iDevice? Be sure to share it with us in the comments section right down below.
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