Apple TV won't let me sign in!

[martin2345uk]

Very frustrating this... trying to sign into the iTunes Store on my Apple TV... I get to the stage where it sends the numerical code to my iPad / iPhone, so I enter that code and it just takes me to the 'enter your username' screen, in an endless loop...

Any ideas..?

 

[Kurri]

Very frustrating this... trying to sign into the iTunes Store on my Apple TV... I get to the stage where it sends the numerical code to my iPad / iPhone, so I enter that code and it just takes me to the 'enter your username' screen, in an endless loop...

Any ideas..?

I am having the same exact problem. Let me know if you find a solution. This is an older apple tv? The one I am having problems with is the 3rd gen I believe.

 

[2010mini]

Reboot iPad and Apple TV.

 

[zappymac]

I believe that you have to append the code to your password, or something like that, so if your password is "password" and the code is 123456 you enter "password123456"

Certainly you need both the password and the code; I just don't recall the exact format now. It happened to me a couple of weeks ago, but a bit of googling came up with the solution, which worked fine for me using my 2011 ATV.

 

[carrodan]

I believe that you have to append the code to your password, or something like that, so if your password is "password" and the code is 123456 you enter "password123456"

Certainly you need both the password and the code; I just don't recall the exact format now. It happened to me a couple of weeks ago, but a bit of googling came up with the solution, which worked fine for me using my 2011 ATV.

This is the correct workaround for two-factor identification on the older Apple TV models. Did it on my 2nd gen last night.

 

[martin2345uk]

But the code only shows up on my phone after I have I put my password into the Apple tv and hit enter.. how do I then append the code to the password?

Sorry if that sounds dense..!

 

[zappymac]

Not dense at all - I remember struggling with it for a while

As best as I recall, you go through the procedure twice: first time gets you the code, second time to add the code to your PW as above.

I'm sure someone will be along to correct me if I got it wrong - I remember thinking that it was a lot more intelligent that I was assuming it was ! Let us know if it works.

 

[Macman74]

This is the correct workaround for two-factor identification on the older Apple TV models. Did it on my 2nd gen last night.

I'm going to have to try this tonight. I about beat my head into a wall over this.

 

[lolkthxbai]

I'm going to have to try this tonight. I about beat my head into a wall over this.

straight from apple support article:
What if I use two-factor authentication on a device running older software?
If you use two-factor authentication with devices running older OS versions, you might be asked to add your six-digit verification code to the end of your password when signing in. Get your verification code from a trusted device running iOS 9 and later or OS X El Capitan and later, or have it sent to your trusted phone number. Then type your password followed by the six-digit verification code directly into the password field.

 

[Mrsede]

I believe that you have to append the code to your password, or something like that, so if your password is "password" and the code is 123456 you enter "password123456"

Certainly you need both the password and the code; I just don't recall the exact format now. It happened to me a couple of weeks ago, but a bit of googling came up with the solution, which worked fine for me using my 2011 ATV.

Thank you so much! I'd been having the same problem and was beyond frustrated! Thank you!

 

[thisiswasteoftime]

I believe that you have to append the code to your password, or something like that, so if your password is "password" and the code is 123456 you enter "password123456"

Certainly you need both the password and the code; I just don't recall the exact format now. It happened to me a couple of weeks ago, but a bit of googling came up with the solution, which worked fine for me using my 2011 ATV.

Tried this unsuccessfully. This is such a waste of time! There should be an easier way to enter in your user name and passwords, especially when you have to do it 10 to 12 times before you can figure out what apple wants.

 

[jav6454]

But the code only shows up on my phone after I have I put my password into the Apple tv and hit enter.. how do I then append the code to the password?

Sorry if that sounds dense..!

Why don't you setup via an iPhone? Way easier and quicker.

 

[TaylorPlayer]

Why don't you setup via an iPhone? Way easier and quicker.

I actually had to go out to the Apple ID account website and turn off two factor authentication. Then I could sign right in. I had to change my password to my account a couple of times so my Apple TV kept making sign in with my new password but the authentication step must have been corrupting the password entry step. Turn it off, sign in, and then go back out to the Apple ID account page and turn it back on.

 

[HoustonArmours]

Not dense at all - I remember struggling with it for a while

As best as I recall, you go through the procedure twice: first time gets you the code, second time to add the code to your PW as above.

I'm sure someone will be along to correct me if I got it wrong - I remember thinking that it was a lot more intelligent that I was assuming it was ! Let us know if it works.

3/18/2018: I was having the same issue with my Apple TV 3. The “append code to password” solution just worked for me! Thanks for sharing!

 

[AndreasT]

Just wanted to chime in for anyone having the same issue as me, which looks like this issue, but is not. Apparently there is a situation where your Apple TV is online (can update) and seems to be connected to Apple, but isn't really. I don't know the reason, I suspect a port issue somewhere on your local network.
This results in that no request for verification is being sent and you just get a failed message. Adding a verification code manually from a trusted device doesn't work either. You cannot connect to iTunes Store either. Switching to Ethernet doesn't work either.

The solution for me was to create a wifi hotspot from my phone and connect the Apple TV through there. Everything worked first time. Even verification worked directly. iTunes Store also.
Hope this helps someone, spent almost a day messing with this.

 

[TheMrIncredible]

Just wanted to chime in for anyone having the same issue as me, which looks like this issue, but is not. Apparently there is a situation where your Apple TV is online (can update) and seems to be connected to Apple, but isn't really. I don't know the reason, I suspect a port issue somewhere on your local network.
This results in that no request for verification is being sent and you just get a failed message. Adding a verification code manually from a trusted device doesn't work either. You cannot connect to iTunes Store either. Switching to Ethernet doesn't work either.

The solution for me was to create a wifi hotspot from my phone and connect the Apple TV through there. Everything worked first time. Even verification worked directly. iTunes Store also.
Hope this helps someone, spent almost a day messing with this.

This is the exact problem I'm having. It happened out of nowhere, and I'm not sure why. I don't have a hotspot to test out your solution. Is there really no work around other than that?

It's a joke that even reset my password and I'm still getting an error modal.

 

[AndreasT]

Is there really no work around other than that?

I don't know of any other way than to try another network. If you can't tether to a phone, maybe take the Apple TV to a friends house and try? I suspect there is something in our routers or ISP that blocks the initial connection to Apple's servers. After connecting once through the hotspot, I can connect on LAN normally.

 

[davedish]

I don't know of any other way than to try another network. If you can't tether to a phone, maybe take the Apple TV to a friends house and try? I suspect there is something in our routers or ISP that blocks the initial connection to Apple's servers. After connecting once through the hotspot, I can connect on LAN normally.

[doublepost=1528408854][/doublepost]I just wanted to followup on AndreasT's post: I had the exact same problem when I tried to fire up my Apple TV after I had been out of the house for over a month (all devices including network router were powered down). When he says "tether to a phone", that doesn't mean you have to have a physical USB connection to the ATV, just have the WiFi hotspot on your phone activated (for help doing this, do a quick web search. It's very easy, but you may have to contact your cellular provider to turn this feature on, which I had to do with my Consumer Cellular account. Be advised, it will eat your data as long as you are making use of it).

The other requirement is you have to have the Ethernet (CAT-5) cable unplugged from the back of the Apple TV; otherwise, the unit will attempt to connect via the LAN. The way I did it was to physically unplug the power cord from the ATV, then plugged it in (with the Ethernet cable out). Since I had previously performed a "Restore" of my unit, the welcome screen came up and it searched for a WiFi network. Simply enter the name of your WiFi hotspot network, then enter the password when prompted. At this point, I was setting it up again like it just came out of the box; but it worked the first time, just like Andreas said it would!

Thanks Andreas for blowing a day to figure out this tip...It only took me an hour or so to implement it!!

 

[Tech198]

Not dense at all - I remember struggling with it for a while

As best as I recall, you go through the procedure twice: first time gets you the code, second time to add the code to your PW as above.

I'm sure someone will be along to correct me if I got it wrong - I remember thinking that it was a lot more intelligent that I was assuming it was ! Let us know if it works.

Doesn't that sound like a wacky workaround ?

I guess on old devices Apple didn't do it probably. Just seems kinda odd you gotta get it denied once, just to get the code. I still have Apple TV 3 device, so may try that tonight.

 

[muttville2018]

I just changed my Apple ID password, and then had the same problem as above. I kept trying to sign in, then got as far as entering the verification code, and it would just revert back to the original sign in screen. I did a hybrid of the suggestions above and it worked. Ie, on my TV screen I entered Apple ID. Then entered password.

However, the hybrid step I used was to go into my new MacBook (2017 version), click on the little apple symbol, get to account then security, and found the screen that showed that I have two step verification. Then I clicked on a button that said to send me a verification code for a new device. The new code popped up on my MacBook. Instead of using the verification code that was sent to my iPhone (as I was doing for the last 30 mins) I entered that new code that I requested via my MacBook. It actually worked.

Forgive me if I sound very low-tech. That's because I am (embarrassingly) low-tech. But maybe this will help someone who's having the same issues. Cheers.

 

[Karmachochi]

I just changed my Apple ID password, and then had the same problem as above. I kept trying to sign in, then got as far as entering the verification code, and it would just revert back to the original sign in screen. I did a hybrid of the suggestions above and it worked. Ie, on my TV screen I entered Apple ID. Then entered password.

However, the hybrid step I used was to go into my new MacBook (2017 version), click on the little apple symbol, get to account then security, and found the screen that showed that I have two step verification. Then I clicked on a button that said to send me a verification code for a new device. The new code popped up on my MacBook. Instead of using the verification code that was sent to my iPhone (as I was doing for the last 30 mins) I entered that new code that I requested via my MacBook. It actually worked.

Forgive me if I sound very low-tech. That's because I am (embarrassingly) low-tech. But maybe this will help someone who's having the same issues. Cheers.

Tried this - and still didn't work - i.e. starting the Passcode entry from TV OS and entering the 6 digit verification code from the Mac OS X Settings > iCloud > Security window instead of the 6 digit code generated as part of the TV OS password entry with Two-Step Verification.

Was getting heartily fed up and contemplating chucking the ATV3 out and upgrading to ATV4 or ATV5 - when I realised that neither of these has the Optical audio out that the ATV3 has that I need to interface with my Sonos Soundbar. So, I would have to persist with getting the ATV3 going short of buying a new TV with a decent Optical out to interface to the Sonos.

However, your tip prompted me to use the 6 digit code generated from Mac OS iCloud settings to add to the Password (i.e. "Password123456" as per the earlier posters on this thread), and it worked for me, at long last...

I appreciate that Apple TV3 is now long in the tooth, but how difficult would it be for Apple to put up a link in the ATV Support pages to flag up the kludged procedure for entering iCloud passcodes in ATV3. Then again, the majority of people would just give up given the hassle and move on to a newer model, so the cynic in me wonders if this is Apple's strategy.

 

[Rerana]

Not dense at all - I remember struggling with it for a while

As best as I recall, you go through the procedure twice: first time gets you the code, second time to add the code to your PW as above.

I'm sure someone will be along to correct me if I got it wrong - I remember thinking that it was a lot more intelligent that I was assuming it was ! Let us know if it works.

Thank you!!! This just worked perfectly. So frustrating that it can’t just work without a secret method.

 

[martin2345uk]

I appreciate that Apple TV3 is now long in the tooth, but how difficult would it be for Apple to put up a link in the ATV Support pages to flag up the kludged procedure for entering iCloud passcodes in ATV3. Then again, the majority of people would just give up given the hassle and move on to a newer model, so the cynic in me wonders if this is Apple's strategy.

It eventually made me buy an amazon fire stick and sell the Apple TV

 

[FlyHotPlanes]

I faced the same frustration as others with my Apple TV after I set up two factor authentication.
Here’s what worked for me: Go to Settings/General/Reset.
Put your Apple TV back to the way it was when it was new.
Then put in your password, Apple ID and all required settings.
I was done in about 30 minutes. Now my Apple TV works like it should.

 

[RowOarDie]

I faced the same frustration as others with my Apple TV after I set up two factor authentication.
Here’s what worked for me: Go to Settings/General/Reset.
Put your Apple TV back to the way it was when it was new.
Then put in your password, Apple ID and all required settings.
I was done in about 30 minutes. Now my Apple TV works like it should.

[doublepost=1542423674][/doublepost]I had the same problem and spent days trying to find a solution. I reset my Apple TV, back to factory settings and allowed it to update. After that I tried to log on as they directed with no luck. I was however successful by typing my account name in then when asked typing my password, but didn’t ‘Submit’ it until I generated a verification code on my phone and then added it to the password - click ok on the phone, then submit on the Apple TV. SUCCESS!! It only took 3 days.