Prevent Apple ID Problems
It’s likely you acquired this book to solve problems, but I want to start off by telling you how to prevent common ones. These issues mostly affect account access when you lose a device, forget or lose a password, experience a hacking attempt that leads Apple to lock your account, or otherwise need to regain access.
These options vary by how your Apple ID is protected. In advice below, I note in parentheses which account types you can use each bullet point with:
(password) for accounts only protected with a password
(2SV) for accounts relying on the older two-step verification method
(2FA) for Apple IDs that use the newer two-factor authentication
For more information about two-factor and two-step logins, read Use Two-Factor Authentication.
Make Sure You Can Self-Recover
Apple offers a fairly large number of methods that let you regain access to your account without having to convince someone at Apple that you’re the legitimate owner of your Apple ID account. You can ease self-recovery by ensuring your account has extra recovery information in it before something goes wrong, like you losing a device, losing access to a phone number, or having to reset a password.
Here are several simple actions you can take:
Add rescue email addresses (password): These addresses provide an alternative if you can’t receive email at your main Apple ID address. Add addresses to your password-only account on the Apple ID site (Figure 10). (See this Apple support page for more details.)
Figure 10: Use the Apple ID site to manage rescue addresses for accounts without 2FA. Include “reachable at” addresses (2SV, 2FA): Apple lets you list other addresses that you’re “reachable at,” but these are only used by Apple in assisted account recovery, not in normal efforts to regain access. (Add these addresses via the Apple ID website, iOS, iPadOS, or macOS.)
Add trusted phone numbers (2FA): With two-factor authentication accounts, you can receive a verification token on an iOS, iPadOS, or macOS device associated with the same Apple ID, or via a phone number as a text message or automated voice message. It may be difficult to add trusted devices, because they can only be associated with a single account. Trusted phone numbers, however, can be reused across Apple ID accounts. You could employ a VoIP number, like Google Voice, or that of your partner, spouse, sibling, or other trusted person as a backup. (Add numbers using the Apple ID site or in iCloud settings in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. See Work with 2FA.)
Make sure you have your Recovery Key (2SV, 2FA): The recovery key is a long alphanumeric code that you use to restore access to your Apple ID. If you can’t immediately find yours, you can regenerate it. Do that now! Read more in Set a Recovery Key for 2FA (for 2FA) and Handle Two-Step Verification for (2SV).
Avoid Losing Access
If you need to get help from Apple to recover access, having taken these precautions can dramatically improve the odds that the company’s customer service representatives will restore your account:
Only use email addresses that you control (password, 2SV, 2FA): I routinely hear from people who registered an Apple ID to an address at what is now a former workplace or a former mail host. Don’t get stuck in a situation like that. Change to an email you control on the Apple ID site.
Ensure personal information is up to date (password, 2SV, 2FA): Use the Apple ID site to update your information, including your name, address, billing information, phone number, and more. Your name should match what appears on official identification, such as a driver’s license, national ID, or passport, if you want the chance that Apple could recover your account later. It will require those documents to match your account name.
Update or find security questions (password): You’re likely to hit a roadblock when you need help from Apple if you’ve forgotten what answers you gave to the three security questions they ask you for a password-only account (Figure 11). If you can’t remember yours, visit the Apple ID site, or use iCloud settings in iOS, iPadOS, or MacOS, to update your questions and answers.
