Diver_Down Author

Level 1

33 points

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

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

Top-ranking reply

efwolf359

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Aug 31, 2019 1:37 AM

slight update, I was also advised on a workaround to allow me to access my iTunes library until they fix the problem.

all you need to do is to create a new Apple ID WITHOUT two factor authentication. In iTunes go to home sharing & sign out of your existing ID. Sign into home sharing with the newly created ID (just in the home sharing section, nowhere else) then finally turn on home sharing on the Apple TV and use the newly created Apple ID and it will allow you to stream your library as before.

hope this helps somebody

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141 replies

Meladeo

Level 1

8 points

Oct 11, 2019 1:04 AM in response to Tuco09

Done, feedback submitted on a lovely looking, albeit pricey, paperweight. Incidentally I raised a ticket 4 weeks ago. After some initial correspondence the day afterward, and a promise my matter would be looked into, I've not heard a bean since. Rubbish!

watsontr

Level 1

8 points

Oct 11, 2019 4:48 AM in response to del0083

I can now sign in to my First Generation Apple TV. Thanks for resolving the issue Apple. You may need to work on your communication skills though given some of the responses I've read on here but thank you for resolving the issue

ad5901

Level 1

21 points

Oct 12, 2019 3:52 AM in response to niklasgustafsson

Agree niklasgustafsson. I am also confused by the 'well done Apple' comments. This was not well done. An issue such as this should have been fixed in 2-3 days, not over 6 weeks. Also Apple do need to take courses in customer communication. There was no comment from Apple that this was a problem. I spent over three hours trying to resolve this until I came across this thread. Had I not found it I would not have known the problem existed and I am certain there are millions of Apple users out there who were mystified as to why they could not connect to home sharing.

Apple could at least have owned up to the problem and alerted users. They should also post updates as to what is being done to resolve the issue along with information as to what hardware is affected. This could easily be done in a specific thread on the support communities alerting users to current hardware and software issues. Should Apple not have the manpower for this then they could dip into the $trillions they have to hire someone.

Come on Apple, you need to restore your reputation as a company that customers will stick with and admire again.

dnovo

Level 1

4 points

Oct 30, 2019 12:06 PM in response to Diver_Down

Ok Guys. Help me out please. Today, (Oct 30), I had to newly install a 2nd Gen Apple TV in my home network. It has the latest Software update, (Apple TV 6.2.1 = iOS 7.1.2). I went through the known issues and went online, found this thread and while reading through it managed to log in to my iCloud account and to my iTune account, (they are the same account but went through both processes as is required by the interface). Finally I came to HomeShare and I'm having issues even though the thread says Apple resolved the issue around Oct 9th. When I try to turn on HomeShare I get the message of if I want to use my currently signed on iCloud account. I say yes, confirm the ID and then it tries to log on, (without asking for a password). That fails, with the now familiar screen, so going back to the sign on screen I choose the option of using a new Apple ID and I go ahead and choose that which takes me to the familiar write in the ID and password screens. On the password screen I write the password, generate a verification code from my iPhone and append the result to the password. Then I press RETURN and it fails. I cannot get HomeShare activated. What I'm I doing wrong?. As I said before, I logged on to my iCloud account and to my iTunes account successfully on the ATV. I'm running iTunes 12.8.2.3 on the iMac with the Library I wish to share. The iMac is running macOS 10.13.6 (High Sierra), with the latest security update and my iPhone is running iOS 12.4.1. I'm also running another ATV in the network, (3rd Gen), with no issues. Any suggestions?

Oct 30, 2019 12:10 PM in response to dnovo

A couple of things to try:

Make sure you have set your timezone correctly
On older models you need to enter your password together with the authentication code (6 digit number)
Codes have to be entered into the system within 30 seconds so you may need to be quicker at entering them.

dnovo

Level 1

4 points

Oct 30, 2019 12:16 PM in response to Ian Kennedy

I have checked all that:

Time zones identical among all involved devices.
I'm configuring an Apple TV 2nd Gen so I had to master the password and append the 6 digit verification code routine to both log on to my iTunes account and to my iCloud account. Currently I'm logged on to both functions in the Apple TV.
Yes, I put the code, well within the 30 second limit, (That is how I was able to log on to iTunes and iCloud).

Urquhart1244

Level 10

146,184 points

Aug 28, 2019 10:09 PM in response to Diver_Down

What is your model Apple TV?

Identify your Apple TV model - Apple Support

Diver_Down Author

Level 1

33 points

Aug 29, 2019 12:36 AM in response to Urquhart1244

it’s a gen 3 Apple TV

Diver_Down Author

Level 1

33 points

Aug 29, 2019 11:43 AM in response to vazandrew

Thanks for the response, as noted above this was one of the steps we complete when working with the support group. Even with completing this step, the error still exists.

Aug 29, 2019 2:55 PM in response to vazandrew

Yes I have 100 of times

and whilst on phone to support

Aug 29, 2019 3:30 PM in response to Diver_Down

Yes very frustrating.

Ive done two factory reset once by myself and one whilst on the phone to Support. Still no Luck.

😤

Diver_Down Author

Level 1

33 points

Aug 29, 2019 3:40 PM in response to Tvhelp999

As a comparison:

1) What version of Apple TV do you have?

2) Did you recently update your Apple TV to the latest version of the iOS?

Aug 29, 2019 3:45 PM in response to vazandrew

Yes They are calling me back

Aug 29, 2019 3:52 PM in response to Diver_Down

Yes just updated to latest iOS

im not sure If it makes any difference but also the Apple TV has disappeared off the devices in settings on my IPhone/IPad. Not sure if that’s valid

Aug 30, 2019 8:00 AM in response to Meladeo

Mine has now appeared overnight on my device Listings

its now logged into iCloud but there is Zero content, but that is not the case...

still wont connect to home sharing but logged into iTunes

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Apple TV Won't Login to HomeShare