recovery key

Eglazier wrote:

This doesn’t help me because I have to have my password or the 28 character recovery key 

I realize, but you asked what a recovery key was.

You turned on recovery key, and Apple gives stern warnings about it, especially if you lose the recovery key.

Creating a recovery key turns off account recovery.

Using a recovery key is more secure, but it means that you’re responsible for maintaining access to your trusted devices and your recovery key. If you lose both of these items, you could be locked out of your account permanently. With that in mind, it's important to keep your recovery key in a safe place. You might want to give a copy of your recovery key to a family member, or keep copies in more than one place. That way you always have your recovery key when you need it.