How to I provide current password for account on an older iPad Air 2?

[Don El]

I have two iPad Pro's, 1st and 2nd gen, where I changed my password some time ago.
Am now trying to revive the use of an older iPad Air 2 with iOS 12.5.5. It will not accept my password for the same email.
I can't even "sign out" of the iPad without the 'old' password. I've tried many iterations, but it just keeps coming back to
"Enter the password for ...." How can I overcome that? Thank you.

 

[twerppoet]

It does not make sense that the iPad is asking you for your old email password in order to sign out of email on the old iPad. Make sure it isn't requesting the device password/passcode instead. It's easy to mistake the two requests.

 

[scifan57]

Do you mean your old Apple ID password?

 

[Don El]

Sorry, I didn't explain it correctly. I appreciate your responses. I'll try again...

>>Yes, I do mean my old Apple ID password, whatever that was.

>>I am not "signing out of email" on the old iPad. And the old device passcode, a four-digit number, still works to open the device.

The "Settings" app tells me to "Update Apple ID Settings - Some account services require you to sign in again." Press "Continue" and the 'Apple ID Password' dialogue appears with my correct email address, requesting my password. My current password fails, and so do all others I try that I might have used in the past. (My current password, with the same email address, works on my iPad Pros.)

I can still use the iPad for many things, but I cannot update some apps, nor acquire new apps. When I try to "GET" a new app, after filling out the email/password dialogue, I get the notice: "Verification Failed - Your Apple ID or password is incorrect."

When I get the dialogue "Sign In to iTunes Store", the email address listed is correct, my current one, but it repeatedly fails to accept my current Apple ID password that works on the newer iPad Pros.

I would prefer not to Reset and lose all data. Thanks for your patient assistance.

 

[scifan57]

If you have the sales receipt or purchased it direct from Apple and can satisfy them that you are the legitimate owner they may be able to help you.

 

[twerppoet]

If you don't have anything vital on the old iPad, I recommend restoring it. First, make sure it has a good backup, and restore it from that. If that does not work, do a clean restore. If it supports the current version of iOS, you can update it and restore from a backup of your newer iPads. Otherwise, you'll need to reload everything manaully.

The first step, of course, is to make sure there isn't anything on it that you can't afford to lose.

You could also try Reset All Settings. I doubt this will work, but if it does it will save you some work, since only system settings will be defaulted. Content and accounts will not be affected.

One other thought. I kind of have two accounts. An old mac.com account ant the newer icloud.com account. It rarely makes a difference, but once in a while I've found it necessary to use my old mac.com email address. Not in the last couple years, but I don't have any devices older than a four years now.

So, if you're and old time Apple guy with a possible legacy email account, give it a try.

 

[Don El]

Thanks for your assistance, guys!

I just talked to Apple Support - her conclusion was that my 'vintage' iPad Air, with OS 12.5.5, "probably" cannot properly connect to the Apple server, so my goal of updating apps or getting new stuff off the Apple Store or other "pay" sites (pay with Apple ID) is futile - too old a device.
(She alluded to Apple giving up on anything more than 5 years old.) So no chance of downloading new books or apps (except perhaps by going thru iTunes).
Not a big loss - I have two other iPad Pros, 2nd and 3rd generation, which work fine. This old one can serve some limited purposes, as long as the selected app still works - some are of course outdated (e.g., CNN) and can't be updated, so the iPad refuses to launch them.

 

[scifan57]

There are still apps in the App Store that will work with iPadOS 12 and earlier. Loading books should not be a problem.