Recently updated your iPhone or iPad and now you’re stuck on updating iCloud settings screen? Or performed a backup and tried to restore your iPhone or iPad, only to get caught in that same Updating iCloud Settings message or seeing that never-ending spinning loading circle? If so, you are not alone!
Quite a few of our readers tell us they’ve seen this problem over the years, after either updating their iOS version or after attempting a restore from an iCloud backup. The good news is their experience helps all of us!
So here are some tips that our readers use to help get that Updating iCloud Settings screen unstuck and get your device back up and working again!
You usually see this screen AFTER your iDevice updated the iOS or restored from a backup.
Once iOS thoroughly updates, it automatically reboots your device and then sends you through a series of screens to finalize the update. These steps include connecting to your Apple ID and iCloud account.
And that’s where the problem comes up!
Checklist When Your iPad or iPhone Is Stuck on Updating iCloud Settings
Ensure your device has sufficient internal storage for the iOS update. Check these at Settings > General > Storage
If your storage is full, check out these tips to help clear some clutter!
Verify Apple Servers are up and running with no reported issues
Connect to your fastest and most stable WiFi connection
Or use iTunes and an Ethernet connection
Charge your battery or better yet, keep your iPhone or iPad on the charger when you update
Be patient! Remember syncing iCloud content can take a lot of time
Troubleshoot when it’s stuck on this screen for over an hour
How-To Fix When Your iPhone or iPad Gets Stuck on Updating iCloud Settings
Restart your device and try updating or restoring from backup again. Sometimes, the simple solution works best
Force Restart and try again
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
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
On an iPhone X/XS or iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Then press and promptly release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo
Try a different WiFi network or use Cellular/Mobile Data instead–if you have sufficient bandwidth in your mobile carrier’s plan
Reset your network settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings
Try a different time of day for your updates
During busy seasons (iOS releases, holidays) Apple Servers get slammed with requests, so try updating at off-peak times like early in the morning or late at night as opposed to business/daytime hours
If your router has any restrictions enabled, turn those off too (temporarily)
After seeing the “update complete” screen, when asked to enter an Apple ID or Apple ID password, choose Skip, Skip This Step, or Set Up Later. Do not enter your Apple ID and password
Once your iPhone or iPad updates normally, go to Settings > Apple ID Profile and enter your information there
Use iTunes to update or restore a backup instead
If unable to update or restore an iTunes backup, use Recovery Mode
Shut down the device
Connect the lightning cable to the device and a computer that runs iTunes (the latest version)
Open iTunes then immediately press the following buttons and keep holding them down until the connect to iTunes screen appears
On an iPhone X, iPhone 8, or iPhone 8 Plus: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the side button–hold this button down until the connect to iTunes screen appears on your device
On an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the Side and Volume Down buttons at the same time–hold these down until the connect to iTunes screen appears on your device
On an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPad, or iPod touch: Press and hold both the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons at the same time–hold these down until the connect to iTunes screen appears on your device
Choose Update when you see the message “There is a problem with…”
iTunes attempts to reinstall your device’s iOS without erasing your data
Wait until iTunes downloads all the software to your device
If your device exits the connect to iTunes screen and the download takes more than 15 minutes, repeat steps 3 &4
After iOS downloads and installs, follow the on-screen instructions
Reader Tips
First, take your device to another location with a WiFi connection not saved on your device. Once you get to your Home Screen, open Settings. And see if there are any red exclamation points next to your Apple ID or iTunes and App Stores. If so, tap these and choose to “Agree with new conditions.” Then try connecting to your iCloud account or going through the steps again to update or restore your device.
For most of her professional life, Amanda Elizabeth (Liz for short) trained all sorts of folks on how to use media as a tool to tell their own unique stories. She knows a thing or two about teaching others and creating how-to guides!
Her clients include Edutopia, Scribe Video Center, Third Path Institute, Bracket, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Big Picture Alliance.
Elizabeth received her Master of Fine Arts degree in media making from Temple University, where she also taught undergrads as an adjunct faculty member in their department of Film and Media Arts.
I have an android laptop computer, running fully paid & licensed Windows 10 and Microsoft Outlook 2016 (16.0.13628.20128) 32-bit. Product ID: 00333-59072-93157-AA413. When running the Outlook app, a window pops up with an error message whenever there’s an automatic search for new incoming mail. The message reads… Task ‘Synchronizing subscribed folders for Laurie on iCloud.’ reported error (0x800CCC0E) : ‘Outlook cannot synchronize subscribed folders for Laurie on iCloud. Error: Cannot connect to server. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or internet service provider (ISP).’
mine sat there for a few hours.. but then I power cycled and tried again – no problem. it shouldn’t sit there for hours ! should be 1 minute odd regardless but give it an hour, if no luck, time to restart. the restore from iCloud page has a progress bar so you can see what’s going on with an estimated time remaining.
New ipad pro 12.9 , updating to 13.1.1 , stuck on Updating iCloud Settings for 2 hours now andcounting.
Cannot even power off the ipad, stuck in the update cycle. Sucks !
HELP ! !
Apple sucks .
Same here. Ipad Pro (model 2019) is stuck on “Updating iCloud Settings” and there is nothing I can do about it. The newest Ipad Pro does not have a physical button other than the on/off button. I turned it off and back on and I get back to the stuck screen. At least PC tablets/computers can be rebooted with a flash-drive running Windows or Linux but this Ipad is a piece of junk. I got it about a couple of days ago from the Apple store for around $1000.00 and I am taking it back for a refund tomorrow.
I have an android laptop computer, running fully paid & licensed Windows 10 and Microsoft Outlook 2016 (16.0.13628.20128) 32-bit. Product ID: 00333-59072-93157-AA413. When running the Outlook app, a window pops up with an error message whenever there’s an automatic search for new incoming mail. The message reads… Task ‘Synchronizing subscribed folders for Laurie on iCloud.’ reported error (0x800CCC0E) : ‘Outlook cannot synchronize subscribed folders for Laurie on iCloud. Error: Cannot connect to server. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or internet service provider (ISP).’
This comment is dated February 16, 2021
iCloud’s site is updating
mine sat there for a few hours.. but then I power cycled and tried again – no problem. it shouldn’t sit there for hours ! should be 1 minute odd regardless but give it an hour, if no luck, time to restart. the restore from iCloud page has a progress bar so you can see what’s going on with an estimated time remaining.
New ipad pro 12.9 , updating to 13.1.1 , stuck on Updating iCloud Settings for 2 hours now andcounting.
Cannot even power off the ipad, stuck in the update cycle. Sucks !
HELP ! !
Apple sucks .
Same here. Ipad Pro (model 2019) is stuck on “Updating iCloud Settings” and there is nothing I can do about it. The newest Ipad Pro does not have a physical button other than the on/off button. I turned it off and back on and I get back to the stuck screen. At least PC tablets/computers can be rebooted with a flash-drive running Windows or Linux but this Ipad is a piece of junk. I got it about a couple of days ago from the Apple store for around $1000.00 and I am taking it back for a refund tomorrow.
That said my iPhone backup up