Fixing iPhone or iPad Freezing on Duo 2FA

iPhone and iPad users may experience issues with a Duo 2FA prompt hanging indefinitely after authentication. This is a rare known issue with workarounds.

Issue

When trying to sign into a service that requires Duo 2FA from an iPhone or iPad, users who use that same device for Duo verification may open the Duo app to verify the sign-in attempt. After returning to their original app (Safari, etc.), they may see that the page is still waiting for the 2FA verification, even though they just completed it.

Workaround

The issue does not appear to occur on devices running iOS 18.2 or newer. Be sure to keep your device fully up-to-date by checking for available updates in the Settings app.

Usually, waiting enough time will eventually allow the verification to be detected and your sign-in will continue as normal. However, you can follow these instructions to avoid the problem in the future.

Begin your login process and proceed to the point where you are prompted to act on the Duo push notification. Make note of the 3-digit code on-screen.
When the Duo notification slides down from the top of your screen, instead of tapping on it, hold it down or swipe it down to open the quick action view.
Enter the 3-digit code into the Verification code text box, then tap Approve.

If you have a Focus mode enabled (Do Not Disturb), the Duo prompt may not appear automatically. To find it, you will have to swipe down from the top of your screen to open up the notification center. Then hold down on the Duo notification to take action.