"Incorrect password?" I think not...

[smilingkyle529]

After upgrading to 3.0, I haven't been able to log into iTunes to download application updates or applications through the iPhone. It keeps giving me the error that the password I entered was incorrect. When trying to use iforgot to reset it, it tells me my ID doesn't exist. I can log into iTunes fine on my mac. The funny thing is that when I plug my iPhone into my mac and log into iTunes on my iPhone when it is plugged in, it will work! But upon unplugging it, it goes back to not working on the iPhone.

On a second note, I use my aol account for iTunes. I can log into iTunes on my iPhone fine with my apple ID, but that account is not used for purchasing things on iTunes.

Any ideas? Help would be greatly appreciated.

[Terdinus Asus]

This happened as well back in one of the initial iPhone OS releases back in July 2008.

I tried my AOL account and I get the same thing. So you're not alone, something's fudged on AOL's end with the new OS.

[XxDonnyxX]

Same here. It wouldn't be a big deal to just make a new account straight from Apple (Which I have) and drop AOL altogether. However all my existing purchased apps on my phone are tied to the AOL account so you can't get updates (which 4 are listed on my as I type this) because they require the password which doesn't work!!! ugh! so annoying!

[smilingkyle529]

I called apple and this is how they got it working (for now).


Connected my iPhone to my computer
"Purchased" a free application from iTunes that I did not have on my computer
Sync'd my iPhone and computer through iTunes so that the free application on my computer would transfer to my iPhone
"Purchased" a couple more free applications on my iPhone with the it disconnected from my computer


I was on hold for awhile during the process, but in the end the guy said it was because the permissions needed to be transfered back to my iPhone? I believe that is what he said. I asked him why this happens to AOL/AIM users and he didn't have an answer for me.

Hope that helps anyone else with the problem.

If you have the problem and my solution didn't help, I'd try contacting apple and having them call YOU. Haha, they called within seconds of me entering my ticket through:

http://www.apple.com/support/expert/

[smilingkyle529]

My problem started happening again and I hate having to sync with itunes every time to get it to work. I shouldn't have to do that.

[DirtySocks85]

Not sure if it's of too much help but read my similar thread here: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=724100

If anyone figures out how to login to an aol based iTunes account on their iPhone under 3.0, please share with us all.

[veniculum]

I'm in the same boat. I REALLY hate itunes. I have two accounts from day one. First is a truly AOL based account. The other is a 'Mac' account where the username has @aol.com on the end of it.
So, pretty much every time I do a sync, I have some kind of problem with my apps (because some were purchased with one, and some with the other.)

Now this. Now, I can't use the AOL based account on my iphone...which most of my purchases were made from (without logging into itunes on my computer)

Yesterday I went to the apple store to buy a new laptop..they sent me away (because there was a line for the iphone)...real smart, Apple.

I've come to the conclusion that 1) apple makes GREAT hardware, 2) apple makes stupid software, 3) apple's "geniuses" are really just 10 dollar an hour fanboys who know very little or nothing about how apple's products really work, 4) Apple is so busy trying to put out the next great thing, they constantly leave their original fans/enthusiasts in the dust. I'm a relatively new apple enthusiast, and since I bought my first mac, it's been one let down after another...especially in the customer service area.

So what am I supposed to do now. Now I regret adding all those apps to the AOL account...I should've added them to the mac/@aol.com account. No way to turn back. Apple screws me again...twice in 2 days.

[dentin11]

had same problem, but after syncing with itunes and leaving iphone connected, download an application on the iphone successfully, I disconnected the iphone and now the download of applications thru the app store works fine.
No more error messages about improper password.

[smilingkyle529]

My brother and girlfriend both upgraded to 3.0 and they too are having this problem with the aol based iTunes account. I'm not too pleased with it. I suppose it is a 3.0 problem since it only happened when we all upgraded. I'll try calling apple again when I have time. It is really inconvenient having to sync with iTunes to get it to work again each time this happens. I am a person on the go all the time and don't exactly have my computer with me everywhere I go.

[Jedi128]

I've been having the same problem after buying a 3G S on launch day Friday. I sync it to iTunes and log into my account on my mac then after disconnecting the iPhone it will accept my password for a limited time then it stops working again. I have no tried downloading an app while connected to my mac yet, but this problem is annoying. My account is an AOL account so it seems to be only effecting those.

[MacUser4_20]

Same boat here. Hope this gets solved soon!

[DirtySocks85]

Yeah, I'm still in this boat (it's getting a bit crowded, isn't it). If anyone figures it out, please let us all know. I'm wondering if this was just a total oversight on Apple's part and that it just isn't possible. I'm hoping for a 3.1 fix to this soon.

[videboi]

Yup, I'm stuck on this boat too. The problem fixes itself once I sync my phone w/ the computer.. but I shouldn't have to do that every time because now I can't update/purchase apps when I'm out because my phone decides that the password is 'incorrect'.

Please post something if you find a solution to this growing problem :o

[a3ent]

So hey....make some room for me....should I grab an oar so we can all sit on one side and paddle around in a circle? I have the same AOL itunes prob. Wish I had a solution, but I don't. I'm sooooooo, angry with Apple right now. Just bought the "OLD" iPhone 3G a month and a half ago...and then the "NEW" 3G S came out....only a month and a half after I bought 2 (not cheap!) iPhones. Stuck with an older model now, and some crappy firmware upgrade that doesn't do AOL/iTunes communications. :mad:

Should we start a petition or something?

AAA

[magicluis]

AOL...Itunes...password, Iphone 3Gs OS somebody please?...it look like im using windows PC all over again!!:confused::mad:



+:apple:+








24" IMAC, Mac Pro 8-core 3.2GHz, MACBOOK PRO and 2 IPHONE 3Gs:D

[Terdinus Asus]

Yeah this is BS they need to be able to keep all accounts running or if they're shafting AOL they should allow transfers of apps to an Apple account.

[smilingkyle529]

I am on the phone with apple right now. They are telling me that this problem is on AOL's end. The customer support person I am talking to said that AOL hasn't resolved the issue so they are converting AOL accounts to Apple accounts for people. She put me on hold and is doing the process for me right now.

EDIT:
I just got off the phone and they successfully converted my AOL account to an Apple ID. They gave me a temp password and now I don't log into AOL. I use the newly created apple account with all my purchases and stuff with it.

[Terdinus Asus]

That sounds great, I'm going to try it!

[Terdinus Asus]

THE FIX

OK Here we go, how to fix the issue:

Login to your iTunes account on a computer 3 times with the wrong password. A pop up will come up with the option to create an Apple ID.

Click that button, create your Apple ID, and your purchases will transfer to the new Apple ID.

No More AOL. No More Problems.

[magicluis]

On your Iphone go to:
Settings
Store
Sing Out

After this you need to sign in again

go to :

Sign in
enter your User Name xxxxx@aol.com (make sure you enter the complete email address with the @aol.com)
Enter your password
hit ok
click on View Account
at this point you will be able to view your acct. info
click Done
Go back to your home screen

click on App store and try to get a free app. if you do...you just fix your baby!!


Thanks.

[greatwhite2009]

Thanks for the solution. The only problem I have with that is that I've created this AOL login using an iTunes card only. It seems to me that when I try to convert my account it forces me to enter a new form of payment. I have no plans to purchase content with anything but an iTunes card. Any way around this? The few places I can leave cc info lying around the better.

Thanks again.

[WillYum]

On your Iphone go to:
Settings
Store
Sing Out

After this you need to sign in again

go to :

Sign in
enter your User Name xxxxx@aol.com (make sure you enter the complete email address with the @aol.com)
Enter your password
hit ok
click on View Account
at this point you will be able to view your acct. info
click Done
Go back to your home screen

click on App store and try to get a free app. if you do...you just fix your baby!!


Thanks.

Unfortunately this didn't work for me. But after countless hours trying to fix the problem I did discover a few flaws in Apple's iTunes account system. I wrote the following email and sent it to a few places, hopefully we will have a fix soon. You can read it if you have some time....

Dear ___________,

I have recently discovered a huge flaw in the way iTunes accounts are setup and am having trouble resolving the issue with Apple. I have found that it is possible to create two separate iTunes accounts using the same username in iTunes which will affect both iPhone and iTouch users. Both of these usernames will be identical, however the two accounts are completely different. The best way to describe this is to explain the process and understand the that the two terms "Screen name" and "Apple ID" refer to two separate titles serving the same purpose in iTunes as a username. Please try to follow my explanation as I know it is very complicated.

The Processes for setting up an iTunes username:

1. After installing iTunes you are given the option to create either a new Apple Id or use an existing AOL account for your iTunes. If you choose the existing AOL method, it will assign your screen name as the user account for iTunes. (On a side not if you go into your account information after creating this account, it clearly is labeled as a "screen name"). For future reference we will say that I created the account using the fictional screen name Bert101. From this point on in iTunes I will login using the AOL option only entering Bert101 and my password.

2. Now lets say this account was previously created and someone else came along and decided to setup their iTunes account using the "Apple ID" option instead of the AOL option. This person too decided they wanted to use Bert101 as well, however like previously mentioned, did so using the Apple ID method. Thus allowing two different users of iTunes to have the same username only differentiated by the two terms "Screen name" and "Apple ID." (On another side not, if you go into account information for this account, it is clearly labeled as "Apple ID")


The Problem:

Now the actual problem comes in when the person using the "Screen name" instead of an "Apple ID" tries to sign into their iTunes account on their iPhone or iTouch. When signing in, the person is asked to log in using their username and password. If the person using the "Screen name" method tries, they are presented with an invalid password message. This message is because of two reasons. The first reason being that someone has created an Apple ID username identical to the "Screen Name" username, which has a different password and iTunes is only recognizing the "Apple ID" option. The second reason is because even though iTunes clearly states that a username can be a full email address such as Bert101@hotmail.com, it will not recognize a full AOL address such as Bert101@aol.com.

I discovered this problem because I have used the screen name method for about three and a half years and after upgrading both mine and my wife's iPhones to the 3.0 os, was continually presented with the invalid password error. I know this password is correct because I am able to log in to my account using iTunes on my computer with that same screen name and password. After having my different family members duplicate the problem on more than one iPhone and making countless phone calls and searching Apples website, it was suggested that I try to make an Apple ID using the same email account, which would then merge the Apple ID and the Screen name together. This did not work, and in fact created the second account with an identical username. Ultimately comes down to that the iPhone/Touch is missing the option to choose "AOL Screen Name" when logging into an iTunes account, where as iTunes on a computer gives you this option. I have read countless message boards and S.O.S.s from people wondering why all of a sudden they are not able to log into iTunes on their iPhones or iTouches using their AOL screen name anymore. This is a big problem for many people such as myself, who have spent a small fortune using their screen name account for years. Is Apple trying to enforce that we use an Apple ID instead of our pre-existing AOL usernames that worked perfectly fine in the past? Please help those of us out there who have been loyal iTunes customers for years now and are all of a sudden stranded. I'm sure a simple update to the 3.0 os giving us the option to choose if we are using a screen name or Apple ID to log in to iTunes would fix the problem. If you are still reading this, thank you! I know you are affiliated with AOL and I hope you will be able to help.

Sincerely,

Will M

[DirtySocks85]

Thank you Will for describing my problem exactly.

In my case I own both the Apple ID and the Screen Name, but all of my purchases are on the Screen Name. If Apple allowed me to merge these two accounts and claim them both as the Apple ID I would be happy. Sadly, this is not the case at the moment.

[DirtySocks85]

On your Iphone go to:
Settings
Store
Sing Out

After this you need to sign in again

go to :

Sign in
enter your User Name xxxxx@aol.com (make sure you enter the complete email address with the @aol.com)
Enter your password
hit ok
click on View Account
at this point you will be able to view your acct. info
click Done
Go back to your home screen

click on App store and try to get a free app. if you do...you just fix your baby!!


Thanks.


Tried that, didn't work for me.

[MisterEd]

I'm having the exact same problem since 3.0, and none of the above solutions work for me. Syncing the iPhone allow me to log in to the store on the phone for a while, but before long I'm getting "incorrect password".

Guess I'll be giving Apple a call and seeing if they can change the account to an Apple one, keeping all of my purchases.

Ed

[SkippyThorson]

I am on the phone with apple right now. They are telling me that this problem is on AOL's end. The customer support person I am talking to said that AOL hasn't resolved the issue so they are converting AOL accounts to Apple accounts for people. She put me on hold and is doing the process for me right now.

EDIT:
I just got off the phone and they successfully converted my AOL account to an Apple ID. They gave me a temp password and now I don't log into AOL. I use the newly created apple account with all my purchases and stuff with it.

Naturally, same problem here.

I'm going to give them a call to have the same done. I've had way too many problems with my AOL ID.

I guess it's true. Apple things do just work. Hm.

[Terdinus Asus]

You don't need to give them a call to switch your account to Apple:


OK Here we go, how to fix the issue:

Login to your iTunes account on a computer 3 times with the wrong password. A pop up will come up with the option to create an Apple ID.

Click that button, create your Apple ID, and your purchases will transfer to the new Apple ID.

No More AOL. No More Problems.

[SkippyThorson]

I never thought the words Asus and Thank You would be said together, but you saved me a headache and AT&T minutes. Thanks! :)

[WillYum]

So everyone I went on ahead and called Apple today. They were able to successfully switch my account over with no problems. Just explain to them that your AOL screen name isn't letting you login and you would like to change your AOL screen name to an Apple ID. If your screen name is already taken as an Apple Id, they will make a new Apple Id of your choice or just make it your full AOL email address. The reason it will not work right now if you try your full email address is because it is not registered as an Apple ID. The phone number to call is 1-800-my-iphone and choose iTunes billing as the issue. I was on the phone for about 35 minutes with them, but that was because I called the wrong number to begin with and had to be transferred all over the place. In fact right after my screen name was changed to an Apple ID I lost service and was disconnected. Right when my temper was heating, I received a voicemail from Apple telling me that "it seemed we were disconnected, and my account was successfully transferred over to an Apple ID and I will not receive the password issue anymore." Awesome customer support from the representative Shawn! Shawn also told me to go on a head and login to the old Apple ID I created that did not merge and delete all of my bank account info and change my password to help avoid confusion in the future. He also told me that by simply creating an Apple ID account with the same email address or same username as your screen name will definitely not merge the two accounts and he doesn't know why anyone even suggested that. I believe the other solution to logging into your account three times with the wrong password on your computer will also work, however the security questions weren't accepting my answers, which turned out to be right when I asked on Shawn to verify them with me on the phone. Anyways I believe the best bet is to give the number above a call and speak with someone to ensure everything goes through alright. Best of luck everyone! Oh and all of my music and other media was transferred over and authorized to my new Apple ID. Man I am relieved and happy with :apple: !

[billy pick]

does anyone know if this would still work even without an AOL email?