Can't delete a 'trusted number' from my Apple account

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Can't delete a 'trusted number' from my Apple account

I've had this Apple account for at least 25 years. For a long time my wife's phone number was associated with it, and was the first 'trusted number,' but we have finally taken her off the account and she has a new account of her own.

So my own phone should be the first on the 'trusted' list, but I put my son's phone number as the next 'trusted' one, and my own after that. This was years before 2-factor authentication became locked in, so I guess I assumed this was only for use if I had died or something.

Now I want to put my own number as the first on the 'trusted' list, but I cannot remove my son's. When I click 'remove' I get a pop-up that is completely blank, except for the blinking _ where I should be putting in the two-factor code. Only there's no code! My son is not receiving any such code from Apple and obviously it's not going to my phone.

It sure would be nice if it defaulted to trying the second 'trusted number' if no response from the first.

Anyway, any help with this would be appreciated.

[Edited by Moderator]

Mac mini (M4)

Posted on Sep 15, 2025 5:39 PM

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Answer 1

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ChicagoAl Author

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8 points

Sep 15, 2025 6:05 PM in response to ChicagoAl

It NEVER fails. I can work at something for hours and as soon as I give up and ask a question, on a message board or of someone in real life...I immediately find the answer myself.

In this case, in case anyone else has the same problem, I was able to solve it by logging into iCloud, which I am not sure I've ever even done before. Clicked 'remove trusted number,' entered my account's password, done. I still need to test it to make sure that my phone gets the two-factor message but it should.

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Answer 2

ChicagoAl Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 15, 2025 6:19 PM in response to Chattanoogan

Ah, that is helpful information, so thank you, Chattanoogan. This is something obvious that I should have been aware of. My wife's phone wasn't getting the 2 factor messages because it was 'trusted,' but because it was the phone number linked to the account! Anyway, my son's number isn't on the 'trusted' list now so that's solved.

The underlying problem here is that I have a second Apple account (I know, I know) and my phone has been linked to that one, meaning it couldn't be the primary contact number for the primary account. So next step is to de-link my phone from the second account and link it to the primary account.

This is all part of the process of trying to mothball the second Apple account and have the original one linked to all devices, etc.

BTW my grandparents lived on Lookout Mountain and I've been there many times, still have family up there and elsewhere in the area. Beautiful area, though when I was a kid it was still heavy industry and I believe Chattanooga supposedly had the worst air quality in the country!

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Answer 3

Sep 15, 2025 5:55 PM in response to ChicagoAl

Since it sounds like you have 2FA enabled (?)

There’s really little reason to list your own phone(s) as a Trusted Number because they are already Trusted Devices. (and if you still use a nanoSIM, there’re good reasons to NOT use it)

When Trusted Numbers ARE used to receive a 2FA Verification Code, you have to manually select which one Trusted Number is to be used at that time. It does not “broadcast” the verification code to all or “cycle thru” them in series.

Presumably, this is because it was realized that you probably do NOT have access to all of your Trusted Numbers all the time.

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