iPad Asks For My Password

[John Niziurski]

Just about once/ week my iPad asks for my Apple password. I get a red exclamation point symbol in Message too. I put in my KNOWN password and it tells me my account is locked. From the Settings page, I choose to change password by email. I go to the email and put in the same password that I KNOW is correct and it accepts it!!! When I go to Message, there's nothing there to read. As I use other programs, it again asks for my password. There have been times when a new update is available, and that ends up being why it wants my password, I think. Jumping through hoops because it doesn't like my password when I type it in the first time is crazy. Is it doing this because I don't do the two-part authentication? It comes out of the blue and doesn't seem to have any purpose. Going back to the updates, how can my iPad install updates automatically, at night as it says it will do, if I have to go through all of this without any apparent reason? Likewise, how can it install updates if I had used the two-part authentication? Thanks for your help.

 

[LannyC]

I've had the same experience half a dozen times over the past several months. "Account locked for security reasons," blah blah blah. Then I have to jump through the same flaming hoops on every Apple device I own. I have no explanation, just want to reassure you that you're not alone in your frustration with Apple.

 

[Jupiter7]

Just about once/ week my iPad asks for my Apple password. I get a red exclamation point symbol in Message too. I put in my KNOWN password and it tells me my account is locked. From the Settings page, I choose to change password by email. I go to the email and put in the same password that I KNOW is correct and it accepts it!!! When I go to Message, there's nothing there to read. As I use other programs, it again asks for my password. There have been times when a new update is available, and that ends up being why it wants my password, I think. Jumping through hoops because it doesn't like my password when I type it in the first time is crazy. Is it doing this because I don't do the two-part authentication? It comes out of the blue and doesn't seem to have any purpose. Going back to the updates, how can my iPad install updates automatically, at night as it says it will do, if I have to go through all of this without any apparent reason? Likewise, how can it install updates if I had used the two-part authentication? Thanks for your help.

What do you mean when you say you go to email and it accepts password?
You may have set a different password for your email and Apple ID.

 

[John Niziurski]

What do you mean when you say you go to email and it accepts password?
You may have set a different password for your email and Apple ID.

It asks you how you want to update your password. I choose to do it by email because when I try to answer the challenge questions, it doesn't like my answers just like it never likes my password when I first put it in!! It sends me an email where I put in the same darned password and it suddenly likes it after all. The whole thing gets to be frustrating and, IMHO, stupid. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the recent updates. Those same updates have included 2-part authentication, which I decline to do.
Another thought, I had always though my email password and my Apple ID password needed to be the same. I had called Apple Support one time when this convoluted stuff was happening and was told they do NOT need to be the same. Now, they aren’t.

 

[scifan57]

The problems could be the result of not using 2 factor authentication, which is required now for certain features.

 

[John Niziurski]

The problems could be the result of not using 2 factor authentication, which is required now for certain features.

My wife has the same version iPad and has the same version of IOS. She plays games that require her to enter her ID and she doesn’t have the password request problem. She inputs her ID often enough that it must satisfy the system requirements. When an update to the IOS comes through, it lets me know in the same fashion that it does when it wants my password. Why don’t I get a message instead of all of this weird behavior? With the red exclamation point in Message, there is never an actual message there to read. An Apple quirk?

 

[John Niziurski]

An observation: There are times when the silly thing wants my password toward the end of the month. Might it be to authorize Apple to take the 99 cents charge for iCloud storage? No matter why it is asking, the fact that it does not accept my KNOWN password is insane. It would help a LOT if it told me what the password is needed for. For as brilliant as their products are, there are times when Apple Products, and all of the quirks that go with them, seem to be a little half-arsed.

 

[twerppoet]

If it asks to unlock your iPad, authorize updating or installing something, etc, then it wants the passcode you set for the iPad itself. It will periodically ask for your passcode to unlock the iPad; at least once a week, or whenever you've done something that makes it feel making sure you are you is a good idea.

If it talks about your account, purchasing something, email (providing it is an iCloud account)l, or other Apple iCloud or Apple software stuff, it will usually want your Apple ID or iCloud Account password. For most people those are the same. Depending on your security settings it may ask for your password a lot (purchases mostly), or just every now and then (reverifying you email account).

 

[John Niziurski]

Again, it tells me NOTHING about why it wants the password. It asks, I put in my KNOWN password and it never accepts it. Then, when given the choice, I receive an email where I put in the exact same password, and it accepts it and, supposedly, resets my password. I ask for the email because it never accepts the response I give to the security question. My wife plays games on her iPad and has to use her password every day and has never run into this "stuff". As with many other things I've run into with Apple software, it tells you nothing that you need to know. On my desktop, when I do an Apple ITunes software update, it leaves you wondering what's going on because it tells you nothing. Any of their updates take a long time and, for the most part, you're looking at a black screen wondering if something is wrong or if it's done doing what it should.

 

[LannyC]

Tonight I noticed that my sleeping iPad lit up on its own, and when I checked there was a notification that I needed to enter my Apple ID password...yet again. So I do, then this stupid box appears over the .settings screen.

As usual, choosing Unlock means verifying my birthday, answering security questions, then reentering the same password. Next time I use my iMac, I'm sure I'll have to repeat everything again. Then I'll be good for another couple of weeks. Maybe. There's simply no reason for this harassment by Apple.

 

[Querty]

RE 2 factor authentication I take it this means on another Apple device but what if you haven’t got one ?

 

[Jupiter7]

RE 2 factor authentication I take it this means on another Apple device but what if you haven’t got one ?

You can have the verification code sent to a trusted phone number.

 

[LannyC]

You can have the verification code sent to a trusted phone number.

That's great...if you're never away from home. Why not simply use Touch ID, as we do to unlock our devices and authorize purchases?

 

[Jupiter7]

That's great...if you're never away from home. Why not simply use Touch ID, as we do to unlock our devices and authorize purchases?

Because it it is not a unique code on a separate device.

 

[LannyC]

Because it it is not a unique code on a separate device.

Why is that important, except to sell more Apple devices? It won't help if someone steals both devices. If they steal my thumb, my stupid Apple ID would be the least of my problems.