Recovery key - Apple ID vs Device and How to Change or Delete

[janeserky]

Hello all

I need some help regarding the apple recovery key as I’m really confused.

I have 2 apple IDs. When I check the account details both of them show the recovery key as being active. I do not recall asking for a recovery key to be generated for either account. I do not have a record of a recovery key for either account. This is really unusual for me as I am fastidious about keeping this type of information safe (I use 1Password and can see that I have a recovery code for a Microsoft account, yet there is absolutely no information re Apple).

I have checked both my iPad and iPhone and both of these show that recovery key is ‘off’.

My questions are as follows:

1. Is the recovery key on my devices that same as the recovery key in my Apple ID account? If yes, how can one show it’s active and the other show it’s not?

2. Have I really set a recovery key on my 2 Apple IDs? If yes, how do I reset it - or turn it off without getting locked out of my accounts? What do I really need to be careful with?

Thanks

 

[Raz0rEdge]

On your Mac, go to System Preferences->Apple ID and then click on Password & Security and then Manage on Account Recovery and see if you can disable it.

I don't have it enabled, and it is written that changing the password requires the recovery key to do so. However, I'm not sure if you can disable the recovery key with just your password. It looks like having this key enabled and not knowing what it is can very much lock you out of your account, so be careful.

 

[IWT]

@janeserky,

I recognise and sympathise with your predicament. If it were me, I'd feel much happier contacting Apple Support.

After all, your accounts are both active and working. It's not as if you were locked out.

BUT you could end up locked out if you mess around with Recovery Key - or it it Keys - hard to believe that they are the same because each Recovery Key has to be generated separately for each account.

BTW, as I understand it, a Recovery Key is something the owner asked for, or agreed to, usually at the time of setting up the account or when initiating 2 Factor Authentication. It's not mandatory, as far as I know.

As you are up & running normally, I'd feel much happier contacting Apple Support and asking them to take you through some process for disabling them.

In the meantime, give these articles a read - useful tips there:

Set up a recovery key for your Apple ID – Apple Support (UK)

A recovery key is an optional security feature that helps improve the security of your Apple ID account. If you lose access to your account, you can use your recovery key to reset your password and regain access.

support.apple.com

What is and how do I find my recovery key - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

Ian

 

[ferrarr]

See this article,

How to use account recovery when you can’t reset your Apple ID password

If you use two-factor authentication and can’t sign in or reset your password, you can regain access after an account recovery waiting period.

support.apple.com

It states;

Cancel your request

• If you remember your information and can sign in successfully, your wait period cancels automatically and you can use your Apple ID immediately.
• To cancel a recovery request that you did not make, follow the instructions in your email confirmation.

 

[janeserky]

Hi all

a quick update.

I have been in contact with Apple who have confirmed that there is a problem. The 'back end' of the system indicates that I never set a recovery key but they do not know why my appleID logon page implies that one exists and yet both my iPhone and iPad show 'recovery key' as 'off'.

When I log onto Apple.appleID.com, the 'security' screen should either clearly show 'activate', 'deactivate' or 'reset' (I don't have any of these). Weirdly, the information on this screen regarding the 'recovery key' has changed over the past few weeks - and Apple stated it was not surprising, as they have been updating the website during this time.

Apple are still troubleshooting my particular problem.

Further updates to follow.

 

[janeserky]

OK - Apple Support got back to me though they have been fairly vague.

I do not have a recovery key set on any of my accounts.

The pages that are shown on Apple.appleID.com for an account can be ambiguous - and the pages can be different for different Apple accounts. Apple Support explained this was due to 'back end' up dates rolling out in different stages to different accounts (go figure). I don't understand this reason at all given we live in a digital age and changes should be fairly rapid and consistent.

I have just tested my 2 Apple accounts again by logging into Apple.appleID.com - and they still show different information (and one is a lot clearer than the other):

1. one shows: 'Account Recovery' box on the first page, click on it and there is a box showing 'Recovery Key' that specifically states a 'recovery key' is not set.

2. the other shows: 'Recovery Key' box on the first page, click on it and the box shows details about what a recovery is and 'How to Change Your Recovery Key'.

To me, the second implies the user has set a recovery key even though that may not be the case.

Anyway, I thought I'd share this info, in case anyone else gets confused by this.