Buying an iCloud account?

[khersonsky]

Hello everyone.

This is my first post on MacRumors but I'm a long time lurker.

I have recently acquired a used iPad Air (1st gen), my first iOS device, and have not been able to create an iCloud account because the previous owners have reached the 3-accounts creation limit.

Using an iOS device without iCloud feels very basic. I can only do iMessage/FaceTime and buy some apps, nothing else. No iCloud Photo Library, iDrive, etc.

Is there any place where one could buy an iCloud account from someone? I tried searching on Google and eBay but haven't found anything relevant.

I don't have any friends or relatives with iOS or Mac devices who could create an account for me. My main computer is a Windows 7 machine.

Could someone kindly direct me to the right place? Thank you very much.

 

[chrfr]

Hello everyone.

This is my first post on MacRumors but I'm a long time lurker.

I have recently acquired a used iPad Air (1st gen), my first iOS device, and have not been able to create an iCloud account because the previous owners have reached the 3-accounts creation limit.

Using an iOS device without iCloud feels very basic. I can only do iMessage/FaceTime and buy some apps, nothing else. No iCloud Photo Library, iDrive, etc.

Is there any place where one could buy an iCloud account from someone? I tried searching on Google and eBay but haven't found anything relevant.

I don't have any friends or relatives with iOS or Mac devices who could create an account for me. My main computer is a Windows 7 machine.

Could someone kindly direct me to the right place? Thank you very much.

You don't say where you're located, but my first stop would be an Apple Store appointment. I'm sure they can help.

 

[khersonsky]

You don't say where you're located, but my first stop would be an Apple Store appointment. I'm sure they can help.

Thank you for your suggestion.

I already tried that. Apple say they can't create accounts and that the only way to get around the limitation is to use or buy another device.

 

[Intell]

Have you tried signing into iCloud.com from your desktop with your Apple ID to create one?

 

[chrfr]

Thank you for your suggestion.

I already tried that. Apple say they can't create accounts and that the only way to get around the limitation is to use or buy another device.

You should be able to create an account with any desktop computer, even if you have a Windows computer.

 

[khersonsky]

Have you tried signing into iCloud.com from your desktop with your Apple ID to create one?

Thank you.

Logging in to icloud.com gave me the ability to only create iWork documents, nothing else. Attempting to log in to iCloud in iOS afterwards again showed the warning about the limit.

 

[chrfr]

Thank you.

Logging in to icloud.com gave me the ability to only create iWork documents, nothing else. Attempting to log in to iCloud in iOS afterwards again showed the warning about the limit.

You need to follow the appropriate steps here: http://www.apple.com/icloud/setup/mac.html

 

[khersonsky]

You should be able to create an account with any desktop computer, even if you have a Windows computer.

If this was just Apple ID, you'd be right. However, I'm afraid activation of iCloud requires a Mac or an iOS device with unused activation slots.
[doublepost=1483331281][/doublepost]

You need to follow the appropriate steps here: http://www.apple.com/icloud/setup/mac.html

Thank you.

From your link:

"Open iCloud for Windows and sign in with the Apple ID you used to create your iCloud account. Select the iCloud services you’d like to enable and click Apply."

 

[chrfr]

If this was just Apple ID, you'd be right. However, I'm afraid activation of iCloud requires a Mac or an iOS device with unused activation slots.
[doublepost=1483331281][/doublepost]

Thank you.

From your link:

"Open iCloud for Windows and sign in with the Apple ID you used to create your iCloud account. Select the iCloud services you’d like to enable and click Apply."

I was mistaken about creating an account on Windows. I'd try again with the Apple Genius Bar, or call Apple. Sometimes talking to different people gets a different answer with things like this.

 

[khersonsky]

I was mistaken about creating an account on Windows. I'd try again with the Apple Genius Bar, or call Apple. Sometimes talking to different people gets a different answer with things like this.

Hey, thanks.

You're right about reaching out to Apple again. I'll try it tomorrow. For now, I'm using Google Photos, Google Drive, and Evernote. They're great!

 

[noisycats]

Maybe I'm missing something. Is this iPad not yours in the free and clear?

Is the original owner somehow still attached?

Seems you should be able to do a factory reset and start fresh. Unless the iPad is still tied to the original owner.

 

[khersonsky]

Maybe I'm missing something. Is this iPad not yours in the free and clear?

Is the original owner somehow still attached?

Seems you should be able to do a factory reset and start fresh. Unless the iPad is still tied to the original owner.

Thank you for the reply.

Every Mac and iOS device has a lifetime limit of iCloud accounts (not Apple ID's) it can create or activate. Currently, it is three. Meaning, if you create 3 iCloud accounts from iCloud panel in Settings.app and try to create or activate another one, you'll get an error (̶s̶e̶e̶ ̶a̶t̶t̶a̶c̶h̶e̶d̶)̶.

The limit is tied to the device's serial number. Once you reach it, you will only be able to use the 3 accounts iCloud accounts you created on the device or another iCloud account created on another device.

In my case, I bought a used iPad. The owner already had created 3 iCloud accounts in the lifetime of the iPad. I cannot create more and I can't log in to iCloud with my non-iCloud Apple ID.

I can only use FaceTime/iMessage and the App Store, nothing else.

 

[Gav2k]

Thank you for the reply.

Every Mac and iOS device has a lifetime limit of iCloud accounts (not Apple ID's) it can create or activate. Currently, it is three. Meaning, if you create 3 iCloud accounts from iCloud panel in Settings.app and try to create or activate another one, you'll get an error (see attached).

The limit is tied to the device's serial number. Once you reach it, you will only be able to use the 3 accounts iCloud accounts you created on the device or another iCloud account created on another device.

In my case, I bought a used iPad. The owner already had created 3 iCloud accounts in the lifetime of the iPad. I cannot create more and I can't log in to iCloud with my non-iCloud Apple ID.

I can only use FaceTime/iMessage and the App Store, nothing else.

You can't create an Apple ID but you can log in with a previously created one.

So what exactly do you need?

 

[khersonsky]

You can't create an Apple ID but you can log in with a previously created one.

So what exactly do you need?

I'm not trying create a new Apple ID, only to use an existing one.

My "previously created" account would only work if it was already an iCloud account. It's not, it's just an Apple ID. It was only used for iTunes. That's why I'm getting the error. iPad cannot activate iCloud on my Apple ID because the lifetime limit of iCloud activations has already been reached on the device.

Anyway, it's no big deal. I'll ask an administration to remove this thread, if possible.

Sorry for the confusion, everyone.

 

[Gav2k]

I'm not trying create a new Apple ID, only to use an existing one.

My "previously created" account would only work if it was already an iCloud account. It's not, it's just an Apple ID. It was only used for iTunes. That's why I'm getting the error. iPad cannot activate iCloud on my Apple ID because the lifetime limit of iCloud activations has already been reached on the device.

Anyway, it's no big deal. I'll ask an administration to remove this thread, if possible.

Sorry for the confusion, everyone.

And this is your only iOS device?

 

[khersonsky]

And this is your only iOS device?

This is my first and only Apple device.

 

[Brookzy]

Try installing iCloud on your Windows PC, signing in with your Apple ID there, and then try signing in on your iPad again.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Thank you for the reply.

Every Mac and iOS device has a lifetime limit of iCloud accounts (not Apple ID's) it can create or activate. Currently, it is three. Meaning, if you create 3 iCloud accounts from iCloud panel in Settings.app and try to create or activate another one, you'll get an error (̶s̶e̶e̶ ̶a̶t̶t̶a̶c̶h̶e̶d̶)̶.

Where is this documented? I have an iPad and iPhone that I use 4 iCloud Accounts with, and my Mac also uses 4. I have never once experienced an error or reached a limit. All 4 original started as an AppleID but I converted them all to iCloud.

 

[Brookzy]

Where is this documented? I have an iPad and iPhone that I use 4 iCloud Accounts with, and my Mac also uses 4. I have never once experienced an error or reached a limit. All 4 original started as an AppleID but I converted them all to iCloud.

That's not the issue.

When you sign up for an iCloud account online, it is a basic account with access to Pages, Numbers, and Keynote only. The iCloud account needs to be activated by an Apple device to unlock the full features of iCloud.

The problem is that one device can only create full-featured iCloud accounts, or convert basic web-only 1GB iCloud accounts into fully-featured accounts, a maximum of three times.

If you have fully-featured iCloud accounts that already exist, this issue does not affect you: you can sign in and out of accounts as you wish. I can't work out from your post whether you mean you have 4 or 8 ( ) iCloud accounts, but either way it is less than the 9 you are eligible for with your three devices. The problem is when, like OP, you don't have a fully-featured iCloud account to start with.

 

[Mlrollin91]

That's not the issue.

When you sign up for an iCloud account online, it is a basic account with access to Pages, Numbers, and Keynote only. The iCloud account needs to be activated by an Apple device to unlock the full features of iCloud.

The problem is that one device can only create full-featured iCloud accounts, or convert basic web-only 1GB iCloud accounts into fully-featured accounts, a maximum of three times.

If you have fully-featured iCloud accounts that already exist, this issue does not affect you: you can sign in and out of accounts as you wish. I can't work out from your post whether you mean you have 4 or 8 eek iCloud accounts, but either way it is less than the 9 you are eligible for with your three devices. The problem is when, like OP, you don't have a fully-featured iCloud account to start with.

All 4 of my accounts were created with the same Mac. They were created between the years 2013-2015 with my 2011 iMac. What the OP was saying makes that not possible. I have never seen any documentation that you only get 3 new ones per device. So either that is what Apple Support is saying, but there is no support article, or something has changed since 2013.

 

[Brookzy]

All 4 of my accounts were created with the same Mac. They were created between the years 2013-2015 with my 2011 iMac. What the OP was saying makes that not possible. I have never seen any documentation that you only get 3 new ones per device. So either that is what Apple Support is saying, but there is no support article, or something has changed since 2013.

It is still a thing. http://www.unlockboot.com/2016/04/fix-maximum-number-of-free-accounts.html

The limit may be higher for Macs, or your number of activations may share between your iCloud devices (e.g. with three devices you can make a total of nine on any device).

Either way, none of what you are saying is helping the OP who doesn't have a Mac and is experiencing an issue no matter what may have happened for you.

OP: I guess my previous suggestion won't work as Windows PCs can't activate iCloud accounts. I would suggest contacting Apple support, and if they don't help you out of this ridiculous predicament, I personally would buy a cheap new iOS device from an Apple Store, activate an iCloud account on it, and then return it on the spot.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Either way, none of what you are saying is helping the OP who doesn't have a Mac and is experiencing an issue no matter what may have happened for you.

I was simply asking a question of where it is documented on Apple's website that this is a thing. Am I not allowed to do that? You were the one to original quote me.

 

[khersonsky]

I was simply asking a question of where it is documented on Apple's website that this is a thing. Am I not allowed to do that? You were the one to original quote me.

Thanks for the response.

I don't have any documentation from Apple. However, if you search for this issue on Google, you'll see all the articles describing the limit.
[doublepost=1483377826][/doublepost]

It is still a thing. http://www.unlockboot.com/2016/04/fix-maximum-number-of-free-accounts.html

The limit may be higher for Macs, or your number of activations may share between your iCloud devices (e.g. with three devices you can make a total of nine on any device).

Either way, none of what you are saying is helping the OP who doesn't have a Mac and is experiencing an issue no matter what may have happened for you.

OP: I guess my previous suggestion won't work as Windows PCs can't activate iCloud accounts. I would suggest contacting Apple support, and if they don't help you out of this ridiculous predicament, I personally would buy a cheap new iOS device from an Apple Store, activate an iCloud account on it, and then return it on the spot.

Thank you very much.

I contacted Apple again and made progress.

They took my serial number and said they will forward it to the department that can reset the limit for my device so I'll be able to activate iCloud on my Apple ID.

Thank you all again for your feedback and I'm sorry for any confusion that this thread may have caused.

 

[SuperKerem]

Thanks for the response.

I don't have any documentation from Apple. However, if you search for this issue on Google, you'll see all the articles describing the limit.
[doublepost=1483377826][/doublepost]

Thank you very much.

I contacted Apple again and made progress.

They took my serial number and said they will forward it to the department that can reset the limit for my device so I'll be able to activate iCloud on my Apple ID.

Thank you all again for your feedback and I'm sorry for any confusion that this thread may have caused.

I just came across this thread. I just wanted to say - if you have no luck with Apple Support, perhaps you could try visiting an Apple Store and using one of the Macs there to create an iCloud account. I don't think they'd mind at all.

Good luck!