iCloud keeps asking for password (iOS and OS X); fix

Recently, my Dad says that iCloud isn’t working for him.  He signs into iCloud and then a few minutes later, a pop-up appears asking him to sign into iCloud again. And again. And…you get the picture. My Dad was stuck within an iCloud login loop.

My Dad isn’t alone.  Many iPhone, iPad and Mac users are annoyed with constant iCloud sign-in requests. It’s, unfortunately, a well-known problem, aptly named the iCloud login loop bug.

You may experience this iCloud login loop bug after an update. You are asked to enter your iCloud password, and the popup message goes away.

But only temporarily, after a short time (usually after a reboot) that iCloud popup reappears asking for the password AGAIN.

I walked my Dad through the steps listed below, and it worked!  So I thought I’d share the fixes for this iCloud login loop bug that worked for him, just in case you too have this iCloud issue.

If you are repeatedly prompted to sign in to iCloud on your Mac, iPad or iPhone, here is how to fix it.

So let’s get to it!

First, Let’s Check that iCloud is Working

Check that Apple’s iCloud is working correctly and that this iCloud login loop bug isn’t a system or server problem on their side. Visit apple’s system status on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and check that all services are green.

You’ll see if there is a problem with iCloud at Apple’s end.  If so, wait a couple of hours to see if Apple fixes the problem.

Next, Check Your WiFi Connection

The iCloud login loop bug is often caused by a faulty Wi-Fi connection.  So the easiest way to fix this is to power down your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, wait a few minutes, and then power your device back up.

 How-To Turn Your iPhone Off and On

1. Hold down the Sleep/Wake button until Slide To Power Off appears
   1. For users with iOS 11 or above, go to Settings > General > Shut Down
2. Slide the power icon to the right
3. Wait around 30 seconds for the screen to go completely black
4. Press the Sleep/Wake button to switch the phone back on 

You may need to enter in your iCloud ID and Password.

If none of the steps above helped you, we have some additional fixes for you for iDevices and Macs that are experiencing the iCloud login loop bug.

How-To Fix iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad iCloud login loop bug

You see this message: Sign In to iCloud. Enter the Apple ID password for “[email protected]”

So let’s clear up iCloud so we get it working again and eliminate these annoying pop-ups!

1. Tap Settings > Apple ID Profile
2. Tap Sign Out
   1. A message saying: Sign Out of iCloud
   2. Tap Sign Out
   3. A second message pops-up stating “Delete Account.”
   4. Tap “Delete From My iPad” or “Delete From My iPhone.”
      1. Enter your password
      2. Tap “Turn Off”
      3. It takes a few seconds to sign out

Check Your Apple ID online

Visit Apple’s online site for Apple IDs. Sign in and at your rescue or backup email address. Is that backup email address associated with a different Apple ID?

If it is, log into your iDevice using that backup email address and its password and then log out and log back in with your updated and current Apple ID.

If your rescue email is not another Apple ID, continue following the steps below.

Is two-factor authentication on?

If so, go to Apple’s site for Apple IDs and disable two-factor authentication, then try to sign into Apple ID on the device again. If this method works, re-enable your two-factor authentication on the site once you confirm your Apple ID, iCloud, and iTunes & App Stores all work as expected.

Now let’s restart your iPhone or iPad

1. Perform a Forced Restart.
   1. On an iPhone 6S or below plus all iPads & iPod Touches, press Home and Power at the same time until you see the Apple logo
   2. For iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold both the Side and Volume Down buttons for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo
   3. On an iPhone X or iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Then press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo
2. Tap Settings > Apple ID Profile > Sign In
3. Enter your Apple ID and password to sign back into iCloud

This should fix the iCloud login loop bug for you.

How-To Fix macOS and Mac OS X iCloud login loop bug

If your Mac keeps asking for your iCloud password, here is how to resolve:

First, Stop iCloud Syncing

1. Go to System Preferences
2. Select iCloud
3. Uncheck all the boxes

Don’t sign out of iCloud just yet.  We’ll need to sign out in a couple of other places before we turn off iCloud completely.

Next, Disconnect iCloud from Applications

1. Open Facetime
2. Go to Facetime>Preferences
3. Select Settings
4. Click Sign Out

You’ll need to perform these same steps of signing out for Messages, Reminders, Calendar, iTunes, the App Store, Find My Mac, Back to My Mac, and Mail.

Now, Sign Out of iCloud

1. Go to System Preferences
2. Select iCloud
3. Select Sign Out  
4. Close System Preferences
5. Restart Computer
6. Go to System Preferences
7. Select iCloud
8. Sign into iCloud with Apple ID and password
9. Select which services you want to sync with iCloud

Reader Tips 

• Open your phone, then come back to a laptop or computer and enter your iCloud password. You should see a 6 digits code on your phone. It says something like “enter your iCloud password followed by this 6 digits number”. So, type your password and this code you got from the phone right next to it
• Stop the Apple ID/iCloud password nag by signing out of iCloud, restarting your device, and then signing back into iCloud/Apple ID on the device in the Settings Menu
• I found the problem emanated from my Mac and iCloud Keychain. On your Mac log in to Keychain and look for any multiple entries with the same login credentials. Once located, delete the duplicate(s) and restart your Mac. Then try your iDevice again
• Try a full restore to stop the hourly prompt for your Apple ID/iCloud password. Remember to first manually sign out of FaceTime and iMessage. And perform a backup FIRST before you do anything! Then use iTunes to restore and reconnect to your backup

Wrap Up

It’s no fun when you are stuck in an iCloud login loop bug!  Hopefully one of the steps above resolved your problem.  If not, you may need to Backup and Restore your iPhone, iPad, or another iDevice.  Check our articles on how to backup and restore.

For Mac computers, you may have a corrupted user account.  See our article on how to fix corrupt user accounts.

Let us know in the comments if you have any additional fixes for this iCloud login loop bug.

Related: An extra level of backup for your iPad, iPhone & iPod touch

SK( Managing Editor )

Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.

In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.