Do I need a US carrier to use 2FA

No. 2FA has no relation to your carrier or even cellular service.

Only in the event that you cannot access your account and don't have a trusted device handy to get the 2FA code, will an SMS or voice call be required. But in that instance, the cellular service or phone service requirement falls on the device or land line that will be getting the code. Not your own iPhone or iPad at all.

The device receiving the SMS or voice all with the code should not be your own iPhone as that defeats the purpose since should you not have access to it for any reason, you won't able to get the code, and if you do have access to it, you don't need to have an SMS sent, you can just get a system message with the code.

The phone number set to get the SMS or call, should be a separate device or landline so that it can receive the code when you don't have access to your own devices.

You can use a family member's phone number or a friend's number. It does not even need to be an Apple device. It can be an Android device or even a house hold landline.

I've never heard you need a US carrier to enable 2FA. You do need to have a way to receive notifications to get 2FA confirmations, however.

See how to enable 2FA here --> Two-factor authentication for Apple Account - Apple Support

You can receive 2FA over an internet connection, be it Wi-Fi or cellular data. It does not have to be cellular, but it can be.

But if you have access to your iPhone, then you should not need to receive 2FA codes at all.

2FA is only required when logging into your Apple ID from a un-trusted device or web browser. But if you can access the website, then you have an internet connection and can get 2FA codes for that.

Your iPhone, once logged in to your Apple ID, is considered a trusted device, and will not require 2FA codes for anything, except maybe logging in to iCloud.com or music.apple.com through a unknown web browser the first time. Then it should be trusted from that point on.

Rek one wrote:

Thanks but this wasn’t for accessing my account or my IPhone but planning on moving overseas for long time; trying to make sure I keep connected to my various bank and other accounts which are set with 2FA.

thanks!

In that case, the 2FA requirements will depend on your bank and your other account sources. There is no one requirement.

We cannot tell you what 2FA for your bank and specific accounts may or may not require as that is down to each. Your bank may require cell service if they need to send an SMS to your phone when accessing your bank account, but it’s specifically down to them.

You need to contact your bank and the providers for each account and ask them what their requirements are for their own 2FA implementation .

The confusion seems to be that there is not one 2FA that covers all your accounts. What you see here is the requirements for 2FA on your Apple Account, which does not need a cellular service. Every account that you have, which could be Facebook, Google, Bank Account, Government Account, etc will have their own implementation of 2FA that may have different requirements.

Rek one wrote:

What way could it be? A cellular plan or would my IPhone would serve as a way to get 2FA?

Did you read the section in the link about "if you don't have a trusted number?"

The 2FA you use for banking apps really has nothing to do with Apple 2FA. They are with your banking apps themselves.

Ok ✅