With online account hacking becoming increasingly widespread, all users should make sure they're taking every security measure available to them. If you use Apple devices, consider using Apple verification codes to protect your accounts. Keep reading to learn how it works.

iPhone Security Feature 1
One of the best ways to protect any online account is by using two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA offers hardened security during login attempts by requesting that the user provides an extra piece of information only they would know, such as a randomly generated code from a third-party.

In iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, and later versions of its operating system software, Apple includes a built-in two-factor authenticator that lets iOS devices be used to generate verification codes for additional sign-in security.

This means if a site offers 2FA, you can set up verification codes for it without downloading a third-party app. Verification codes are backed up via iCloud, and once set up, the codes will autofill when you sign into the site using any Apple device linked to your Apple ID. This makes using 2FA on iPhone and iPad much more streamlined.

Enable 2FA on the Account or Service

Here we'll explain how to set up and use verification codes on ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌. You'll first need to enable the use of a 2FA app on whichever website or service you are trying to secure. (It's easier to complete this initial step on a desktop computer, as it may well involve scanning a QR code displayed on the screen using your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌'s camera.)

twitter 2fa
Some sites have text message 2FA enabled by default, so you'll likely need to explore the security or privacy settings to enable the use of an authenticator app instead. On Twitter accounts, for example, the option is found in the Settings and Support dropdown menu, under Settings and privacy -> security and account access -> Security.

Using Setup Keys

Once you've enabled 2FA on the account or service in question, you'll be asked to either enter a setup key on your device or scan a QR code using your device's camera. If it's a setup key you're given, go to Settings -> Passwords, select the account from the list, then tap Set Up Verification Code.... Finally, tap Enter Setup Key in the pop-up menu and enter the key.

settings

Using QR Codes

If the account you're trying to secure gives you a QR code, open your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌'s camera app and point the viewfinder at your computer's monitor screen showing the QR code.

When the viewfinder locks onto the code, tap Add Verification Code in Passwords. You'll be taken to Settings -> Passwords, where you may need to manually select the correct account to add the verification code. Once you've done that, your device will automatically generate verification codes on the password screen that are valid for 30 seconds.

In future, when you come to log in to the site or service and you're prompted for a verification code, iOS will automatically display the latest code above the virtual keyboard – all you need to do is tap the code to enter it into the input field, and away you go.

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 17 air dummy unbox therapy

iPhone 17 Air's Extreme Thinness Demoed in New Video

Tuesday April 22, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be. The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
ipad air windows 11 arm

M2 iPad Air Runs Windows 11 ARM via Emulation, Thanks to EU Rules

Tuesday April 22, 2025 5:01 am PDT by
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect. As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
iphone 17 pro majin bu sky blue

iPhone 17 Pro Allegedly Coming in Sky Blue Color Used for MacBook Air

Tuesday April 22, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 Pro in a new Sky Blue color, the same color that debuted on the latest M4 MacBook Air models Apple released in March. That's according to the leaker Majin Bu. Concept mockup from Majin Bu Writing on his website, Bu claims that "sources close to the supply chain confirm that several iPhone 17 Pro prototypes have been made in various colors, with Sky Blue...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...