How to get rid of "two-factor Authentication" nag screens?

[7enderbender]

Since the latest "update" my Mac and MacBook keep reminding in to "finish" two-factor authentication. I don't want it. I don't need it. How can I get rid of this? It's annoying and it seems to kick me out of my iCould and iTunes account occasionally it seems.

 

[Fancuku]

It was annoying me too and couldn't find a solution on how to block it. A couple of days ago I went ahead and turned the damn thing on. And it got even more annoying after that.
Then I turned it off on both, the iphone and my Macs and now am happy again. I haven't been asked since.

 

[7enderbender]

It was annoying me too and couldn't find a solution on how to block it. A couple of days ago I went ahead and turned the damn thing on. And it got even more annoying after that.
Then I turned it off on both, the iphone and my Macs and now am happy again. I haven't been asked since.

Thanks. Just did that on my iPhone, Macbook and Mac. Hope that does it. And I hope the kids and the wife didn't mess with anything on their devices...

 

[DeltaMac]

Open the setup for 2FA, then cancel.
Here's one way to do that:
System Preferences, then iCloud pane.
Click on Account Details.
When the account opens, click on the Security tab.
Click Turn On Two-Factor Authentication...
Then, important, click Cancel (don't continue, unless you really want to do this)
Click Done, then quit System Preferences. And, the little reminder will not return.

 

[texasmccoy]

I had this same problem on my MacBook Air running OS High Sierra 10.13.3 ... here is what I did:
(apple icon at top of screen) > System Preferences > iCloud
This generated a window with a list of apps that can be shacked up with iCloud. At the very top of the list was the nagging notification about two-factor-authentication, with a "continue" button.
Hitting the continue button generated another small window with three options: turn on, learn more, and not now. I clicked the "not now" option, then "continue" button at the bottom of that window.
Voila! Nagging reminders about two-factor authentication and associated annoying red badge on my system preferences icon are all now gone, and I am happy.
You're welcome, everyone

 

[alzatron]

How do I turn OFF the nag to set up two-factor authentication on iPhone? (I got the nag turned off on my Mac.)

I do not have, or want two-factor authentication. How can I make the reminder go away on iPhone?

This is showing up on my settings screen. Normally, I would just tap on this to see what happens but I'm afraid that might end up doing exactly what I don't want to do.

 

[alzatron]

How do I turn OFF the nag to set up two-factor authentication on iPhone? (I got the nag turned off on my Mac.)

I do not have, or want two-factor authentication. How can I make the reminder go away on iPhone?

This is showing up on my settings screen. Normally, I would just tap on this to see what happens but I'm afraid that might end up doing exactly what I don't want to do.

I can now answer my own question. The nag goes off by itself after about two weeks. I took no action whatsoever on my iPhone.

 

[pMRa]

Open the setup for 2FA, then cancel.
Here's one way to do that:
System Preferences, then iCloud pane.
Click on Account Details.
When the account opens, click on the Security tab.
Click Turn On Two-Factor Authentication...
Then, important, click Cancel (don't continue, unless you really want to do this)
Click Done, then quit System Preferences. And, the little reminder will not return.

Thank you so much: This is the one that has worked for me quite beautifully!

 

[RocketSam]

I had this same problem on my MacBook Air running OS High Sierra 10.13.3 ... here is what I did:
(apple icon at top of screen) > System Preferences > iCloud
This generated a window with a list of apps that can be shacked up with iCloud. At the very top of the list was the nagging notification about two-factor-authentication, with a "continue" button.
Hitting the continue button generated another small window with three options: turn on, learn more, and not now. I clicked the "not now" option, then "continue" button at the bottom of that window.
Voila! Nagging reminders about two-factor authentication and associated annoying red badge on my system preferences icon are all now gone, and I am happy.
You're welcome, everyone

This works perfectly, thank you!!! I am on Mojave 10.14.2 and there was one additional window after the "continue" option, and before the 3 options ("Turn On", "Learn More", and "Not Now"). So thankful that this worked as it really pissed me off that it showed up all of a sudden, AND it's so obnoxius. So thanks again!!!

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Thank you so much: This is the one that has worked for me quite beautifully!

Didn't work here at all on Mojave. It seems Apple has plugged that "bug". It also seems Apple has been convinced two factor is the be-all end-all thing for force one everyone at some point. It is the most annoying security system I've ever seen since you need to have either email or a second device (phone, computer) on your person to login. I'm sorry, but I don't need to run upstairs to get my phone while downstairs watching Apple TV in my pajamas just to buy a damn movie. That's what the regular password is for. No one is going to come steal my Apple TV just to hack my account for THAT. Apple has gone overboard with security on things that don't need that level of protection. A bank? Yes. My TV? No.

 

[DeltaMac]

If you have previously (or accidentally) enabled 2FA, I don't think it is possible to reverse that (and turn 2FA OFF) once you have enabled it.
But, do try calling AppleID support. They might have a method that you can use.

 

[Nermal]

Apple has gone overboard with security on things that don't need that level of protection.

And there have been bugs in it over the years as well. I don't know whether this is still possible, but at one point there was a certain sequence of steps that would make it prompt you for someone else's security questions.

The other thing that annoys me is that whenever Apple's system pops up a two-factor alert, it always says the account was accessed from a city about 200 km away. Advertisers manage to show ads for my specific town, but Apple and Google both just assume I'm in the country's biggest city. Why give a location at all, if it's flat-out wrong?

 

[mjohnson24080]

Now that it has switched from two step to two factor, it cannot be turned off. So these tricks do not work. I cannot get the nag screen to go away. In system preferences and where it says "finish setting up two factor" I click continue and it asks for my icloud password. I enter it and after a few seconds of the spinning wheel that box disappears and nothing happens. I've dug through numerous webpages to try to solve this and still can't. I'm fine with not turning off two factor, but I want that stupid pop up on my desktop to go away. When I click on account details and then click security it says it is on and has my phone number listed so I know it's set up. So I don't for the life of me understand why it says I need to finish setting it up. Please help!!

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

I just leave the red dot on the preferences. I'd rather see that than put up with two-factor, which I can't STAND, especially at home with Apple TV where my phone is upstairs on the other side of the house. It's not needed for such devices. And god forbid you lose your phone and didn't have a secondary option to restore it. It's a nightmare, IMO and all it did was change the hackers' tactics in how they go about things.

 

[mjohnson24080]

Yea I don’t mind the red dot in preferences, it’s just that stupid pop up on my desktop that I can’t get to go away. My Mac is slow as it is so having to open preferences to make it go away and then just exiting out every time is a pain because it takes forever. Then the next time I open my Mac the pop up is right back there again. Debating on just calling Mac support.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

I don't have a pop up on the desktop, perhaps because I never activated two-step? The preference one came up on its own. The problem is in the future they may FORCE it down our throats. I keep trying to decide what is worse, Apple of Microsoft and it's absurd to think there's even a comparison.... (Microsoft keeps screwing up Windows 10 updates year after year too. I don't think there's any such thing as a stable desktop anymore. They keep trying to screw with stuff that isn't broken for some reason.)

 

[sedaray]

I had this same problem on my MacBook Air running OS High Sierra 10.13.3 ... here is what I did:
(apple icon at top of screen) > System Preferences > iCloud
This generated a window with a list of apps that can be shacked up with iCloud. At the very top of the list was the nagging notification about two-factor-authentication, with a "continue" button.
Hitting the continue button generated another small window with three options: turn on, learn more, and not now. I clicked the "not now" option, then "continue" button at the bottom of that window.
Voila! Nagging reminders about two-factor authentication and associated annoying red badge on my system preferences icon are all now gone, and I am happy.
You're welcome, everyone

I put my password in - nothing happens

 

[lllol]

I just got off the phone with a senior advisor because this two factor nagging drives me insane. Even the red dot. He said we’re never gonna get it to stop because apple is making people use two factor from now on. You only have 2 weeks and 1 chance to turn it off. The notifications AND the red dot are never going to go away.

Oh well. At least I know now cuz I’ve been researching how to get it to stop. I guess I’ll just hv to live with the red dot cuz it’s way better than 2 factor.
F*^CK THAT I’m never putting that on my phone until I hv to. Just like I’m never using finger, face or eye scans, face time or updating my ios11 until I hv to. No thank you. No merci. I’m not helping you spy on me more or get my fingerprints but k thx

 

[Apple_Robert]

I just got off the phone with a senior advisor because this two factor nagging drives me insane. Even the red dot. He said we’re never gonna get it to stop because apple is making people use two factor from now on. You only have 2 weeks and 1 chance to turn it off. The notifications AND the red dot are never going to go away.

Oh well. At least I know now cuz I’ve been researching how to get it to stop. I guess I’ll just hv to live with the red dot cuz it’s way better than 2 factor.
F*^CK THAT I’m never putting that on my phone until I hv to. Just like I’m never using finger, face or eye scans, face time or updating my ios11 until I hv to. No thank you. No merci. I’m not helping you spy on me more or get my fingerprints but k thx

2FA isn't about Apple spying on you. 2FA is to help secure your account against a hack take-over.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

2FA isn't about Apple spying on you. 2FA is to help secure your account against a hack take-over.

2FA has been PROVEN to be not be as secure as many think and it's not appropriate for every service (thus users should have some choices). Plus for some unknown reason, Apple feels the need to make you reenter your password on EVERY SINGLE DEVICE if they "lock" your password for unknown reasons (and it's almost always unknown since they won't tell you why they locked it, just "security"). Talk about a PITA. Add 2FA to that for 8 devices and have fun! I don't know about typical people today, but my phone is nowhere near my home theater when sitting on the charger, etc. Thanks, but no thanks. It's one thing to ask about a credit card code and another to require this 2FA just to login when the worst they can do is view my movie collection (which it should warn you if a new device/browser is used, which would be FAR better than this nonsense).

In short 2FA makes sense for banking or some other thing you do either at a set computer where you can receive an email or use a fingerprint reader, etc. or on a secure phone with a fingerprint reader with an app. It does NOT make sense to use on computer appliances scattered around the home and then make you re-verify EVERY SINGLE DEVICE when no device at all has been reported stolen. Apple's problem is that they go way overboard to the point of immense frustration and misery and then DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. They are such a gigantic monolith of an organization at this point, it's a problem reporting things that get to the right person, let alone expecting some giant change to suit users "desires". In short, Apple is becoming the Microsoft of the 21st Century.

Why 2FA isn't all it's cracked up to be:

Why 2FA SMS is a Bad Idea

Relying on SMS as a 2FA method actually causes a larger problem than what it’s meant to solve. Understand why SMS authentication is insecure - and which alternatives are best to protect your account.

blog.sucuri.net

SMS Two-Factor Authentication – Worse Than Just a Good Password?

If a website offers SMS-based authentication, should you enroll? Maybe not! In some cases, it’s worse than not having a second factor at all!

sec.okta.com

Do you use SMS for two-factor authentication? Don't.

Do 2FA the right way to keep hackers at bay.

www.cnet.com

5 Myths of Two-Factor Authentication

A series of recent password hacks at well-known brands, including LinkedIn, Twitter, and Evernote, has cast a harsh light on the problems of passwords, and how vulnerable we are as a result. Two-factor authentication is being held up as the solution to this problem, and companies are racing to...

www.wired.com

 

[merrygoround]

i also keep getting this alert several times a day all day.. i keep getting logged out and account locked. even though i changed the email to a never used one and change the all of this on a safe computer.. and it keeps trying to trick me into turning on 2fa.. i dont want it. i have other apple legacy devices that i found became useless the first time i had 2fa because they couldn't sign into them. it was impossible to get in my accounts even with the correct pw.. i do not like the permanence of not being able to turn it off and if you can't get in, the entire account being permanently lost.