What Apple's trusted phone number is
A trusted phone number is the one Apple uses to send you a code by SMS or call when you sign in and don't have any of your trusted devices on hand.
- What it is
- Backup number for Apple's code
- Since
- 2015
- Verdict
- Yes
What it is
Within Apple's two-factor authentication, a trusted phone number is any number you've registered to receive the six-digit code by SMS or call. It's the backup plan to the main method, which is showing the code directly on a trusted device where you're already signed in.
Apple requires at least one number of this type to be registered to use two-factor authentication. It doesn't have to be a line used exclusively for this: it can be your usual number, a trusted family member's, or a second phone you keep separately.
Since when
Apple redesigned its verification system with two-factor authentication in 2015, with the arrival of iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan. It replaced the older two-step verification system from 2013, and has required registering at least one trusted phone number as part of setup ever since.
Why it's used
It's the safety net when you don't have any device with an open session on hand: the code arrives by SMS or call to that number instead of appearing on screen. Apple now recommends adding a second trusted number, one that isn't the same physical number used by the iPhone you're trying to protect.
The flip side is the usual one with any phone number: if you only have one, and it's the SIM of the phone you've lost or had stolen, the backup plan stops working exactly when you need it most. You're left without a device to show the code and without a number to receive it, both at once.
Do we use it?
Yes, and add a second number that doesn't depend on the same phone. It's free, takes a couple of minutes, and is exactly what Apple recommends.
Check this
- Do you have more than one trusted phone number registered on your Apple account?
- Is that second number different from the SIM of the phone you use daily?
- Do you also have at least one trusted device other than the iPhone?
Official source: Apple: trusted devices and trusted phone numbers