Turns out Apple is not mandating 2-factor authentication, but go ahead and set it up anyway

Sometimes you just have to take matters of digital security into your own hands. 

When it comes to your Apple ID on the new macOS High Sierra and iOS 11, that means enabling two-factor authentication. And you'll need to use those same hands to do it, because despite an email sent out in the early hours of June 6, Apple is not about to make mandated two-factor authentication (2FA) the default law of the land. 

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"If you install the iOS 11 or macOS High Sierra public betas this summer and meet the basic requirements, your Apple ID [...] will be automatically updated to use two-factor authentication," reads the email sent to some account holders. "This is our most advanced, easy-to-use account security, and it’s required to use some of the latest features of iOS, macOS, and iCloud."

While this email appears to suggest that those downloading public betas of iOS 11 and High Sierra, along with everyone who wants access to all the latest hot features, will be automatically updated to 2FA, an Apple spokesperson assured us that this is not in fact the case. 

Rather, only those who already have the first generation of Apple 2FA active will be upgraded to a new version of the service. 

Image: apple

As to what 2FA is, and why this even matters? Two-factor authentication is a basic security measure which requires two pieces of information for a user to access his or her account. 

Think of taking cash out of an ATM machine. You need your physical bank card ("something you have"), and your PIN ("something you know"). Only with both those keys can you get your cash. 

With an email accoint, 2FA frequently manifests as your account password ("something you know") plus a random code sent to you either via SMS or an authenticator app ("something you have"). With these two elements required to gain access to an online account, it is significantly harder for hackers to gain unauthorized access. 

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Apple offers 2FA as an option, but despite the June 6 email has no publicly announced plans to mandate its use. So go ahead and turn on 2FA yourself, because waiting around for Apple to do it may get you nowhere.  

CORRECTION: June 6, 2017, 3:25 p.m. PDT: This story has been updated to note that Apple will not mandate 2FA for users downloading the public macOS High Sierra or iOS 11 betas. We regret the error. 

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