Verification Codes on Shared devices

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Verification Codes on Shared devices

My iPhone SE 2020 and my iPad are linked together. Lately, when I am being sent a verification code to confirm my identity not from Apple but from other companies for instance Google or Amazon, the text message with code only appears on my iPad and not on my iPhone. I don’t always have my iPad with me, but I always have my iPhone. How do I get verification codes sent through iMessage or even SMS to come to my iPhone and not just my iPad. Today I was out shopping and tried to sign into Google on my iPhone but google kept saying it was sending a verification code to my iPad only. I did not have my iPad with me. I had an awful time getting signed into Google via my iPhone. The same thing happened to me last week when I was in Whole Foods trying to sign into my Amazon prime account. Again the verification code was only going to my iPad, which I did not have with me. I was not using Wi-Fi either time. I was using my phones data which is unlimited. I am signed into my Apple ID on both my iPhone and my iPad. Why are these verification codes only going to my iPad? Do I need to set some sort of priority through my Apple ID so that things go to my iPhone first and then to my iPad? Is that even possible? Any help anyone can give me would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Posted on May 3, 2023 10:16 AM

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Answer 1

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Lawrence Finch

Community+ 2025

Level 10

228,726 points

May 17, 2023 7:11 AM in response to lark37

OK, I missed the Amazon in my quick reading.

Open Messages. If you see Filters in the upper left corner, tap on it, and tap All Messages. If you are viewing only Known Senders you won’t get SMS messages.

Further troubleshooting:

For the Google specifically, If it SAID that it was sent to iPad, tap on “didn’t get code” and it will let you choose a different device, unless you don’t have any Google apps on your phone. You must have at least one Google app to receive Google codes, and you must be logged in on it.

I’ll assume that Amazon did not say that it sent to iPad, but it just sent it to your iPad. But it might be the same issue as Google.

More troubleshooting:

Do you have a cellular voice network connection? It is the voice connection that routes SMS, without it you won’t get any SMS.

On the iPhone go to Settings/Messages and make sure Text Message Forwarding is on. Then go to Settings/[your name]/iCloud/Show All/Messages and make sure Sync to This Phone is on, and do the same for your iPad.

Finally, make sure you have plenty of free storage on your phone.

If all of that is set up correctly, try turning Text Message Forwarding OFF.

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Answer 2

lark37 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 23, 2023 5:34 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thank you Lawrence, you're a great help. I know about filters on my phone "known" and "unknown". The texts with the verification codes never came to my Iphone period--only my Ipad. I have the both the Google and Amazon Apps on my Iphone. I'm not sure what a cellular voice network connection is. I have TMobile Magenta plan with unlimited data. I also live in an suburban area of a large US city. So there's no issues with signals and connectivity. I tried all the steps you mention above with Settings/Messages. We will see now if this works. Thank you again for your assistance.

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Answer 3

May 3, 2023 10:23 AM in response to lark37

You need to contact Google’s support. They send codes to Google apps, not via SMS. But there should be an alternative verification method offered on the sign-in screen.

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Answer 4

lark37 Author

Level 1

4 points

May 16, 2023 7:29 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thank you Lawrence. I'll give it a try, but it happens with Amazon as well as Google.

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Verification Codes on Shared devices

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