I have an iPhone 14 that's been water damaged; the screen is completely green and I can't access it at all. I'm ready to file an insurance claim for a replacement phone, but the insurer requires me to turn off 'Find My iPhone' first. The problem is, I forgot my iCloud password since I always rely on two-factor authentication. I tried resetting the password using my work iPad, but that's not a trusted device and I have no other trusted devices available. Now I'm hearing that the account recovery could take weeks! I really don't want to be without a phone that long. Is there any way to speed up this process?
1 Answer
You definitely shouldn't have to be without your phone for weeks! If you're trying to speed up the recovery, a good option is to get your carrier to activate your phone number on a different device temporarily. That way, you can receive the two-factor authentication codes as texts. If you're able to do this, it might only take about 5-10 days. Otherwise, if you're relying solely on recovery, it could stretch to 2-3 weeks since Apple needs to verify your identity before giving access. Keep in mind, they're just trying to protect your account from unauthorized access!
I wish it were easier! I can't remember the exact password though. Is there any other way to verify my identity? I have access to the email linked to my account, but that doesn't seem to help me at all. I'm thinking of asking the carrier if they can temporarily set me up with another device just to get past this. Do you think that would work?