To utilise Apple ’s two - broker assay-mark ( 2FA ) with your Apple ID explanation – something that the ship’s company has effectively mandated for the last few yr – you must have at least one “ trusted telephone set number ” associated with your account . A trusted phone number can get a code via SMS or an automated part call mouth the code to formalize a login on a unexampled gimmick . This contrasts with a trusted gimmick , which is any iPhone , iPad , or Mac lumber into that Apple ID story .
you could add more than one trust earpiece number , which is useful for fill-in in slip a phone is lost or a phone phone number is hijacked . But you must have at least one .
Some readers find that they ca n’t prepare up their Apple ID for 2FA with a routine already associated with another Apple ID account , or they ca n’t add such a number as a second or subsequent trusted phone number . They get an alert that the number is already in usance by another Apple ID account statement . This is specially irritating for many people who rely on verify their Apple ID login using a trusted twist and never rely on the trusted phone routine at all .
Apple has n’t documented this limitation . To me , it seemed like a change , but I can determine people post about receiving an alarum like this dating back a few old age . I just tested adding to my list of trusted speech sound numbers a family member ’s cadre ( with their permit ) that ’s already assigned to their Apple ID . I had no alert or trouble .
One lector found this particularly vexing : they had an old Apple ID account they no longer use , but because their current and only phone phone number was affiliate with that explanation , they could n’t finish setting up a new account . They were looking into delete the old account by yell Apple Support ; I would n’t just attempt to delete it , as there ’s no knowing whether delete the score will truly free up the old number .
Other posters on the net have found they were order the turn was already in use with an Apple ID – but not by them . They had new phone numbers that the previous possessor had clearly connected to an Apple ID account and never disconnect or deleted .
Beyond drop dead tosupport.apple.comto set up a technical school support call with Apple to seek to address the spot , you could just acquire another phone identification number . Google stilllets you set up a Google Voice account at no costand assign it a licit phone number . you may then add that phone number as a trusted one . you may configure your Google Voice number to forward-moving text messages to email or enter the score directly via a World Wide Web internet browser or an iOS app .
This Mac 911 article is in answer to a question put in by Macworld reader Zane .
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