Your Apple Account is connected to a phone number. This number is very important. You should always ensure that this number is up to date. This phone number may get verification text messages that allow you to log in to various Apple services like iCloud, App Store and more. Furthermore, this phone number may be used to verify your identity when you need to recover your account.
Your phone number will be used for two-factor authentication. Your Apple Account phone number may get a verification code when you sign in on a new device or browser. This phone number is called your trusted phone number.
You can update this phone number. If you have changed your phone number, you should add this number to your Apple Account and remove the old number. There are multiple ways to do this.
You should note that you can have multiple Apple Accounts, and you can use the same number for each account.
Change your Apple Account number using the Apple Account site
- Open a browser and visit the Apple Account page then sign in.
- Tap Account Security.
- You will be shown your current trusted phone number. We will change this.
- First, we will add a new phone number. Click the plus ( ) button to add a trusted phone number.
- A new popup will appear saying, “Add a trusted phone number. Be sure to enter a phone number you can always access. It will be used to verify your identity any time you sign in on a new device or web browser. Messaging or data rates may apply.”
- This number will need to be verified to ensure it belongs to you. Select Text Message or Phone Call, depending on your preferred verification method. Then click Continue.
- You may be asked to enter your Apple Account password again for extra security.
- Then the new number will receive a message or call, depending on your choice. I picked the Text Message option. You will need to enter the verification code on the next screen and then click Continue.
- After successfully verifying the new number, it will be added to your Trusted Numbers. Now you can remove the old one by clicking the minus (–) button. If you no longer use it, make sure to remove it from your account.
You will also receive an email from Apple confirming that your Apple Account information has been updated.
You should also note that it is possible that your new phone may be verified without receiving the verification code. Sometimes, Apple may be able to verify the new number in the background automatically.
Lastly, if the new number was added as a contact phone number for the Messages app, the verification code won’t be sent, and thus, you won’t need to verify it.
