Stuck in "enter password" loop in iTunes on son's iPad

[GhostMac24]

**UPDATE IN POST 13**

Quick background: Bought both my boys an iPad mini for Christmas. Added them both to my "family members" in iCloud and have signed them both into iTunes with their own iCloud email addresses. Since they are tied to my account, iTunes/App Store is supposed to send me an approval request for any app they try to buy. Both iPads are setup identically (settings-wise) with the exception of each one is signed into iCloud and iTunes/App Store with their iCloud account.

Problem: On one of the iPads, each app that is chosen to be installed a screen pops up with the "sign into the iTunes store...Enter the password for xxxxx@icloud.com" and it is pre-populated with my son's iCloud account and password is blank. He enters his password and then once his entered his password he gets a new box that says a request is sent to me. I approve and then he is able to download. That works great. HOWEVER, on the other iPad, the screen that asks for the password gets stuck in a loop. He (or I) enter his password and then a few seconds after the screen disappears it comes back like we never entered it. To make sure it wasn't being incorrectly entered, I intentionally entered it wrong and we will get an error that password is incorrect so we know what we entered was correct initially (we also know it is correct as iMessage, mail, logging in to iCloud web interface all work). So, any idea whee this endless loop is coming from???

Fixes tried: Made sure iOS is up to date. Made sure password was correct. Signed out and back in to iCloud, App Store, etc. Restarted iPad. Still no resolution.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers, RJ

 

[Branskins]

Quick background: Bought both my boys an iPad mini for Christmas. Added them both to my "family members" in iCloud and have signed them both into iTunes with their own iCloud email addresses. Since they are tied to my account, iTunes/App Store is supposed to send me an approval request for any app they try to buy. Both iPads are setup identically (settings-wise) with the exception of each one is signed into iCloud and iTunes/App Store with their iCloud account.

Problem: On one of the iPads, each app that is chosen to be installed a screen pops up with the "sign into the iTunes store...Enter the password for xxxxx@icloud.com" and it is pre-populated with my son's iCloud account and password is blank. He enters his password and then once his entered his password he gets a new box that says a request is sent to me. I approve and then he is able to download. That works great. HOWEVER, on the other iPad, the screen that asks for the password gets stuck in a loop. He (or I) enter his password and then a few seconds after the screen disappears it comes back like we never entered it. To make sure it wasn't being incorrectly entered, I intentionally entered it wrong and we will get an error that password is incorrect so we know what we entered was correct initially (we also know it is correct as iMessage, mail, logging in to iCloud web interface all work). So, any idea whee this endless loop is coming from???

Fixes tried: Made sure iOS is up to date. Made sure password was correct. Signed out and back in to iCloud, App Store, etc. Restarted iPad. Still no resolution.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers, RJ

Is it working now? iTunes was down earlier and was probably the cause for your issue

 

[GhostMac24]

Nope. Same issue and has been happening for some time now. Very odd and frustrating. At least I'm able to connect it to the iMac and install apps for him there from OS X iTunes. Just would like it to work properly and be able to install apps from the iOS app store.

 

[laudern]

Wipe it and start again

 

[GhostMac24]

Wipe it and start again

huh???

If by wipe you mean erase the iPad and start fresh, I don't get that. Why is everyone's go to answer without a solution to just erase a device and start over?

 

[silverblack]

huh???

If by wipe you mean erase the iPad and start fresh, I don't get that. Why is everyone's go to answer without a solution to just erase a device and start over?

Because it is often the quickest way, much faster than trouble shooting.
In you case I would suggest first removing all and then disabling restrictions. Make sure the account is able to accept your son's password and download free apps. Then set up restrictions again, carefully.

 

[PattyMc]

By any chance has that child's Apple ID been on another family members share plan, you can only switch to a different family share group once per year. Not sure if that's your problem but just throwing it out here in case.

Another thought, if that child has a gift card on his Apple ID, then "ask to buy" doesn't function. That doesn't really really explain why his password loops though, I would agree that it was probably a fluke during set up and would go through the process again.

Can you see this child's Apple ID under your ICloud account on your IPad in settings?

 

[RedOrchestra]

huh???

If by wipe you mean erase the iPad and start fresh, I don't get that. Why is everyone's go to answer without a solution to just erase a device and start over?

I'm not a fan of " wipe it clean advice " - surely the "geniuses" can give a better plan to work through. I like to start easy and work my way to the scorched earth plan.

Did you try a Reset Network Settings?

 

[GhostMac24]

Thank you all for the great feedback. I'll get to work on those suggestions.....

Because it is often the quickest way, much faster than trouble shooting.
In you case I would suggest first removing all and then disabling restrictions. Make sure the account is able to accept your son's password and download free apps. Then set up restrictions again, carefully.

What do you mean by "remove all"?

FYI...I am able to to log into iCloud and iTunes on his iPad with his iCloud account.

By any chance has that child's Apple ID been on another family members share plan, you can only switch to a different family share group once per year. Not sure if that's your problem but just throwing it out here in case.

Another thought, if that child has a gift card on his Apple ID, then "ask to buy" doesn't function. That doesn't really really explain why his password loops though, I would agree that it was probably a fluke during set up and would go through the process again.

Can you see this child's Apple ID under your ICloud account on your IPad in settings?

Yes, I can see him on my iPad under my iCloud "family" page. Both of my boys are listed and both are setup the exact same way. I can even see both of them when I do find friends.

I'm not a fan of " wipe it clean advice " - surely the "geniuses" can give a better plan to work through. I like to start easy and work my way to the scorched earth plan.

Did you try a Reset Network Settings?

I didn't think of that. I'll give that a shot as well.

 

[GhostMac24]

Well, nothing suggested works. I'm going to drag the iPads to Apple Store for a genius visit. Ugh.

 

[PattyMc]

Please let us know what the Apple Store has to say, what they did to correct the problem. Good luck, hope it is something simple and will be corrected quickly!

 

[silverblack]

What do you mean by "remove all"?

FYI...I am able to to log into iCloud and iTunes on his iPad with his iCloud account.

iCloud App Store and iTunes work independently. When one works, doesn't mean the other does.

First, remove all restrictions and completely disable restrictions.
Go to App Store scroll down to the bottom of the main page. Sign out.
Then sign in with parent account, test that you can download free app.
Then sign out again and sign in with child account, test to download app again.

 

[GhostMac24]

Please let us know what the Apple Store has to say, what they did to correct the problem. Good luck, hope it is something simple and will be corrected quickly!

Saved myself a trip. Result below. Patty, thank you for all your input!

iCloud App Store and iTunes work independently. When one works, doesn't mean the other does.

First, remove all restrictions and completely disable restrictions.
Go to App Store scroll down to the bottom of the main page. Sign out.
Then sign in with parent account, test that you can download free app.
Then sign out again and sign in with child account, test to download app again.

Did all that and still no luck. Appreciate the input!


RESOLVED!

So I just spent the better part of the last hour combing through EVERY setting on both iPads and seeing where ANY discrepancy resides. I finally found a SINGLE discrepancy. It's odd, but this one thing fixed the issue.

In the iTunes and App Store settings page on the one iPad (that was able to purchase items with my approval after entering their password) it said under the Apple ID "Touch ID enabled for all purchases" and the other iPad (that was having the loop issue) did NOT say this. So I went to the touch ID and passcode settings and noticed that touch ID was not green for iTunes and App store. I turned it on and now everything works as it should. Now, instead of being asked for the password for his iCloud account, it asks for Touch ID and VOILA! it works. Odd that that was the reason as I would assume if you didn't want to use TouchID for the App store, that it would mean (as it asks on screen) your password is required.

Hopefully, if anybody runs into the same issue, this helps them. Thank you ALL for the input and assistance to try and get me toward a resolution. Cheers!

 

[charlituna]

Wipe it and start again

Very likely overkill. Per the BF, who is actually a Genius, the first thing to try would be a reset all settings. The issue could simply be a corrupt settings file not recording the password properly. It's the same thing that can happen with passworded wifi nets that don't connect properly.

So I went to the touch ID and passcode settings and noticed that touch ID was not green for iTunes and App store. I turned it on and now everything works as it should. Now, instead of being asked for the password for his iCloud account, it asks for Touch ID and VOILA! it works. Odd that that was the reason as I would assume if you didn't want to use TouchID for the App store, that it would mean (as it asks on screen) your password is required.

by chance did it ask you to enter the iTunes password. if it did then I wonder if it wrote a new password file, dumping a corrupt one

 

[GhostMac24]

Very likely overkill. Per the BF, who is actually a Genius, the first thing to try would be a reset all settings. The issue could simply be a corrupt settings file not recording the password properly. It's the same thing that can happen with passworded wifi nets that don't connect properly.



by chance did it ask you to enter the iTunes password. if it did then I wonder if it wrote a new password file, dumping a corrupt one

I don't recall, Sorry. All I remember was switching the touch ID for the App Store to on and then going to the App store to test. It did not ask for the password there but instead asked for TouchID to continue. With that said, your hypothesis sounds valid.