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Apple TV Won't Login to HomeShare

I am receiving the following error on my 3rd Gen Apple TV:


“Unable to Sign In

The Apple ID you entered couldn’t be found or your password was incorrect.

Please try again.

To change or reset the password for your Apple ID, go to http://iforgot.apple.com on your computer.”


Fact: Apple released new iOS code and my Apple TV can no longer log in to

HomeShare

Fact: I am able to log into iTunes (so Apple can sell me stuff)

Fact: My Apple TV is on Ethernet (hard wired, not WiFi)

Fact: I can connect to HomeShare with my Windows devices and my other

Apple devices (iPhones, Macs, iPads) so it is a fact the issue is not

the ID or Password.

Fact: Apple support person requested that I log into HomeShare with a

two-factor code at the end of my password

Fact: I did and received the same error message

Fact: They asked me to try again and requested a screen sharing session

Fact: I performed the same actions again and got the same results (even with

"supervision")

Fact: I was told to restore the Apple TV to factory defaults

Fact: I did and still get the same error message

Fact: This was escalated to a senior support person who told me that it was

a server issue at Apple, and it was only affecting Apple TVs from being able to

login to HomeShare

Fact: I explained how this is not possible and that I didn't believe him

Fact: The senior support person gave me what he said was his direct dial

with his extension

Fact: The number he provided does not work. When you dial the number, it

asks for the extension followed by the #. When you do that, it then asks for

the same information a second time. When you do that the message is "We're

sorry Apple is now closed" regardless of the time of day that you call and

refers you do a different number for support.

Fact: I go through to a different senior support person who asked if I was

still having the issue

Fact: I stated that if I wasn’t, I would not have called back to Apple

48-hours after I reported the issue and had not heard anything back from Apple

Fact: The senior support person said that engineering has requested a video

or photo of the error message and asked me to take a picture of my TV screen

(above)

Fact: I took the picture and received an error message on my iPad

"Unable to Upload File"

Fact: The senior person asked if there was an error code or anything more

descriptive. I told him no, that I read him the exact code.

Fact: this person asked me to email the file to myself and then upload it. I

did and it failed.

Fact: the utility states it supports up to 50GB of files but could not

upload a 2.3MB file


Is anyone else having this issue? If so, were you able to resolve it and if

you did, how?


I'd like to get this fixed.


Apple TV

Posted on Aug 28, 2019 7:58 PM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Aug 29, 2019 10:34 AM

Users that have two-factor authentication active for their Apple ID, may be asked to sign in with a verification code. Unfortunately, the software on the Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation) haven’t been updated for this newer procedure. To sign in, users would need to append the code to their password, together in the password field. There is a time limit. To avoid exceeding the time limit (only 30 seconds!), you need to enter the password, then request a new code, and add it to the password; then submit. That way the time for entering the password part isn’t counted.


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250420575

Similar questions

141 replies

Oct 1, 2019 12:03 AM in response to Diver_Down

I’m having the exact problem with my home sharing the only difference is my Apple TV is on WiFi. I have tried adding the 6 digit code to my password and it didn’t work. I even changed the password. It has been a month now without home sharing and very frustrating. On my Apple TV I can log into iCloud & iTunes with no issues. I have restored to factory settings and all of my iOS are up to date. If there wasn’t so many people with this issue I would be thinking it was the device. Apple TV 3rd gen.

Oct 1, 2019 1:03 AM in response to vanessawinter69

Still no joy! Reset Apple TV and can log in to iCloud and iTunes without issue. Tried both ways to enter 6-digit code - using iCloud login then appending to password. Have attempted about 20 times wasting my time and energy. Apple support are useless. HOME SHARING allowed me to stream content from my iMac which will not display on Apple TV with Airplay. Now I have an Apple TV box I only use for Netflix.

Apple now seem content to provide hardware that, when problems occur, they are not interested. It is ridiculous that two-step verification has not been provided adequately for Apple TV 3 so that users are left to struggle helplessly spending hours searching discussion threads for a solution. Another thumbs down for Apple and a further reason that I tell friends that Apple is not as good now as it used to be.

Am not prepared to spend another £150 on Apple TV 4 just to get home sharing working (which apparently it does on ATV4).

Oct 1, 2019 12:16 PM in response to Poolenc

Well, then that seems it must be on their authentication side then, unable to validate most likely due the two factor authentication. I believe the base iOS version of the Apple TV 3 is some version of iOS 7. The newest form

of two factor authentication showed up in iOS 9. Maybe the solution is to make a separate account without the two factor authorization. Newly created accounts have a two week grace period to turn off two factor authentication, and any account after that or that has enabled Apple Pay can no longer turn it off. So I wonder if creating a new Apple ID, and turning off two factor authentication, will then allow home sharing to work. I will try to test out this theory tonight.

Oct 1, 2019 7:44 PM in response to del0083

I agree. I shouldn't have to set up new accounts for my Apple phones and iPads, just to make ATV work.


We need to get this out into the IT media, because at the moment Apple has disabled thousands (millions???) of their customers' purchased items. A cynic (luckily I am not one) would say it is a ploy to force people to buy new Apple hardware.


Imagine if a car company just forced older cars to stop working! I can't believe Apple would do this deliberately and as the old saying goes when it is a choice between a conspiracy and a stuff-up, the stuff-up wins every time.

Oct 4, 2019 8:26 AM in response to Diver_Down

Well, I did find a solution but it involves breaking up with Apple. So Apple because you refuse to support my Apple TV for home sharing and yet want to charge $160 for a new one, I have decided to to move my entire movie collection from iTunes to PleX. It wasn’t a pain and very simple to setup. But since Apple TV 4 and up are the only ones able to download apps, I’ve boxed up my Apple TV and got a fire stick for 1/4 of the cost of a new Apple TV, downloaded plex to the fire stick and I’m up and running again. So if your ok with breaking up with iTunes and Apple TV, this is a nice fix. Plus I can now access my entire library remotely, which wasn’t even possible before.

Oct 5, 2019 1:08 AM in response to pythonguy88

I have two gen one ATVs and the problem is exactly the same. Foolishly I thought the software update would help. Alas no. If you can login via new account with out the two factor business than surely this is just a server verification screw up by Apple? I can’t believe you guys with the more current devices are being dealt with so shabbily by Apple support

Oct 5, 2019 2:17 AM in response to watsontr


Same here: 3 Apple TV’s 3rd generation out of order for home sharing and anxiously awaiting a fix or a work around.


As this appears a two factor authentication issue it deserves a little more priority to fix. Otherwise it would encourage people to stop using two factor authentication.


I had accepted the fact that Apple TV 3 was end of life and the software would not be update anymore thus was surprised to get a tvOS update after all. Now I regret that my devices had automatic updates enabled. I like the Apple TV+ ability but it is not worth giving up home sharing.

Oct 5, 2019 3:57 AM in response to watsontr

Word of mouth is so powerful. Used to be that when friends wanted a new laptop I would tell them to buy Apple. Now I don’t, I will not upgrade to Apple TV 4, I don’t want apples streaming service or purchase movies and music through iTunes. Why should I subsidise a company that treats its long term users so shabbily. The beast that it is Apple just don’t care about users and especially those of older lit!

Oct 5, 2019 8:33 AM in response to Diver_Down

I am on 2nd Generation Apple TV. I have tried the recommended technique of requesting a Code and appending it to my account password multiple times and does not work for me.

I also can activate sharing amongst other computers in the household with no problem.

My Apple TV is updated to its most current OS version.


In other words, this is NOT working.

Oct 5, 2019 7:10 PM in response to tandartsvisser

I've been having this problem for about 3 weeks now on one of my 3 Apple TV model 3's. Last week there was a new tvOS release, but it did not fix the problem. I accidentally signed out of a second one, and now cannot sign back in, so I'm down to one working Apple TV out of 3. (Do not sign out of a working Apple TV model 3.). The hack of appending the verification code to your password DOES NOT WORK. I've done the factory reset, both on the device and attached to a Mac using a micro-USB cable. Nothing works. This should NOT be a difficult problem to fix. It's 100% reproducible. What I can't understand is why anyone would want to buy another AppleTV product from Apple. There are 6 screens of comments on this problem. It's all the same problem.

Oct 6, 2019 5:54 PM in response to Diver_Down

As I'm sure this comes as a shock to you all, I currently am and have been having this problem for weeks. Come on Apple, you seriously can't put out an update to fix this huge issue? How many people have to complain before you take this seriously? Although this is not a fix, but I am going to try out the Plex application that someone on here mentioned which allows you to stream your personal movie collection apparently? It's extremely frustrating that I even have to do this since I have so many apple products and live in the ecosystem.

Apple TV Won't Login to HomeShare

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