Table of Contents
Personal Safety User Guide for Apple devices
- Welcome
- Personal safety at a glance
- What’s new in personal safety
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- Use Safety Check to stop sharing
- How Safety Check works
- Additional considerations when using Safety Check
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- Intro to review and take action
- Secure AirDrop and NameDrop
- Securely control whom you share content with from iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch
- Securely control whom you share content with from Mac
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- Share or stop sharing your location
- Manage automatic ETA sharing in Maps
- Manage Location Services settings
- Stop and remove location metadata in Photos
- Stay safe with AirTag
- Safely manage how you forward content
- Reject unknown sign-in attempts
- Record suspicious activity
- Store your data securely in iCloud
- Delete suspicious content
- Manage Family Sharing settings
- Avoid fraudulent requests to share info
- Securely control your Home accessories
- How to erase all content and settings
- Restore the data you backed up
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- Intro to privacy and safety tools
- Update your Apple software
- Set a unique passcode or password
- Secure your iPhone or iPad with Face ID
- Secure your devices with Touch ID
- Delete unknown fingerprints from iPhone or iPad
- Add or delete fingerprints on your Mac
- Keep your Apple ID secure
- Use two-factor authentication
- Help prevent being locked out of your device
- Keep your device, app, and website passwords secure on iPhone and iPad
- Manage shared password and passkeys
- App privacy features in Apple products
- Harden your devices against mercenary spyware
- Manage safety settings in Messages
- Use Check In for Messages
- Block calls and messages
- Receive warnings about sensitive images and videos on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
- Keep your browsing history private
- Make an emergency call or text on iPhone or Apple Watch
- Obtain evidence related to another person’s account
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- See who has access to your iPhone or iPad
- How to stop sharing your iPhone or iPad content
- How to stop sharing your iPhone or iPad location
- Copyright
Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security for your Apple ID designed to ensure that you’re the only person who can access your account, even if someone knows your password. You can set up two-factor authentication on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Find out how: To view a task below, select the plus button 
next to its title.
Set up two-factor authentication on your iPhone or iPad
Go to Settings
> [your name] > Password & Security.Tap Turn on two-factor authentication, then tap Continue.
Enter a trusted phone number, a phone number where you want to receive verification codes for two-factor authentication (it can be the number for your iPhone).
You can choose to receive the codes by text message or automated phone call.
Tap Next.
Enter the verification code sent to your trusted phone number.
To send or resend a verification code, tap “Didn’t get a verification code?”
You won’t be asked for a verification code again on your iPhone unless you sign out completely, erase your iPhone, sign in to your Apple ID account page in a web browser, or need to change your Apple ID password for security reasons.
> [your name] > Password & Security.After you turn on two-factor authentication, you have a two-week period during which you can turn it off. After that period, you can’t turn off two-factor authentication. To turn it off, open your confirmation email and click the link to return to your previous security settings. Keep in mind that turning off two-factor authentication makes your account less secure and means you can’t use features that require a higher level of security.
Set up two-factor authentication on your Mac
Do one of the following:
On your Mac running macOS 13 or later: Choose Apple menu
> System Settings, click Apple ID, then select Password & Security in the sidebar.On your Mac running macOS 12 or earlier: Choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click Apple ID, then select Password & Security.
Click Set Up Two-Factor Authentication, then click Continue.
Answer the verification questions, then click Verify.
Enter your phone number for verification, select a verification method, then click Continue.
When asked, verify your identity with the six-digit verification code sent to your trusted phone. You won’t be asked for a verification code again on your Mac unless you sign out your Apple ID completely, erase your Mac, or need to change your password for security reasons.
> System Settings, click 
, Security keys for Apple ID
A security key is a small external device that looks like a thumb drive or tag, and that can be used for verification when signing in with your Apple ID using two-factor authentication. Security Keys for Apple ID is an optional advanced security feature designed for people who want extra protection from targeted attacks, such as phishing or social engineering scams. Because you use a physical key instead of the six-digit code, security keys strengthen the two-factor authentication process and help prevent your second authentication factor from being intercepted or requested by an attacker.
To learn more about security keys, see the Apple Support article About Security Keys for Apple ID.
See alsoApple Support article: Change your Apple IDApple Support article: If you forgot your Apple ID passwordApple Support article: If you think your Apple ID has been compromisedAdditional safety resources
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