You can test whether you have trusted devices associated properly by attempting to log into the Apple ID website. When logging into your Apple ID in various places, you should receive an alert on your trusted devices. It’s simple to remove a trusted number, but you must be sure first that you still have access to trusted accounts for the account. That gives you a backup in validating your account should suffer a massive theft, an accident that destroys gear, or you lose all your hardware.īut I’ve received occasional correspondence, particularly from businesses, who want to remove trusted numbers because they…no longer trust the person whose number it is or they no longer have an association with that person. I’ve long recommended adding not just your own cellular or other phone numbers as trusted numbers, but also that of someone trustworthy who is close to you, like a life partner or family member. Trusted devices are an easier set to manage, because they represent all devices logged into the same Apple ID for use with iCloud.

Apple’s two-factor authentication system deflects access to your Apple ID account by requiring that in addition to your password you also have to provide a code that arrives either through a trusted device (an iPhone, iPad, or Mac) or a trusted phone number-one that’s been verified after having been added.