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My Apple Watch keeps asking for my Apple ID password

My watch keeps asking for my Apple ID password then I enter it and it keeps asking


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Apple Watch

Posted on Sep 22, 2019 5:44 PM

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Posted on Dec 17, 2019 9:04 AM

I have the apple watch version 4 or what eve the newest one is, and it keeps asking me for my apple ID even if I just put it in. I went into settings and there is no option to enter my password to reset. How do I fix this?

373 replies

Dec 27, 2019 5:23 PM in response to mcrina

Our scenario and our solution:


Scenario:

We purchased a new apple watch, attempted to connect it to iPhone #1, but it kept asking for the password to the apple ID associated with iPhone #2, whose particular apple ID was used for a short while on iPhone #1. We don't want this new apple watch set up with that other apple ID, however there was a time when we had downloaded some apps onto iPhone #1 while signed into iTunes/App store using the apple ID from iPhone #2, but then signed back into iPhone #1 with the apple id of iPhone #1. I believe this is what confuses the setup of the apple watch - for some reason it wants that second apple id info... doesn't make sense, but.... this is APPLE.


Solution:

The solution for us was to identify any apps that were purchased thru the undesired apple ID (#2) that were loaded onto the iPhone #1 (the iPhone we're trying to sync the new apple watch to). Then we removed/deleted them from that iPhone #1. Then the request from the apple watch for the password to the undesired apple ID password ceased/stopped, and then we were able proceed setting up the apple watch, and then re-download the same apps to the iPhone #1 as long as we were signed in with the DESIRED apple ID #1.


*(However, at this very same time I was in the middle of signing out of the undesired apple ID #2 in iTunes/App settings of our iPhone #2, so I don't know if it was the combination of these acts or one of them individually. I honestly can't see how signing out of a different device has anything to do with solving this issue, but I feel the need to mention that I did it. Either way I hope this narrows it down for you.)

Dec 31, 2019 9:41 AM in response to mcrina

I have been an Apple user since the early 90's. This is beyond annoying. I have tried all "fixes" and still my watch is consistently asking for my apple ID and not allowing me to input this in. This consistently interrupts me when I am working out and that is totally uncalled for.


Why does Apple continually issue updates with bugs now? My iMessage no longer lets me respond to texts on my Macbook pro either with no fix in site for this as well. Mojave is a disaster and I certainly will not upgrade to Catalina. I'm going back to High Sierra or even Sierra to be done with all of this this. At least they worked. I suggest the Apple IT department get back to work and stop forcing known issues onto its customers before they lose us all.

Jan 1, 2020 5:08 PM in response to 2advanced

I have a small problem with this solution, I haven’t used that Apple ID since 2012, it was only used on an iPod I think, don’t remember the password & when I try the ‘forgot password’ Apple doesn’t even recognise the email, I am stumped that it even showed up when I was setting up my Apple Watch, it hasn’t appeared on any other device (3 iPhones & 2 iPads since 2012)😩

Jan 4, 2020 11:12 AM in response to mcrina

I have this problem as well and it is incredibly frustrating. Here is what happens: I have two apple ID's connected, some of my phone apps are from one and the rest from another.


It's asking for my secondary apple ID, my moms, and it does it for every single app I've downloaded from her ID. Mind you, it's for my iPhone apps not my apple watch apps. It no longer pops up every day on my phone like it used to, instead it pops up on my watch and cannot be dismissed without reappearing rendering my watch useless. I enter the password three or four times but give up because it needs a verification code from my mom's phone every time and I don't even live with her so it gets very tedious.


Does deleting and reinstalling all the apps work? I'd hate to have to go through that but I will if it will stop this.

Jan 8, 2020 4:33 AM in response to mcrina

Another in a long list of bugs in the the worst release cycle in Apple's recent history.


I'm seeing this bug on my Apple Watch 3 running 6.1.1, with an AppleID that I use for a second App Store account in Switzerland where I live part time. I only use it for local apps that aren't available in the US Store. I have exactly zero of those apps installed on my Watch.


In my case, I get the incessant prompts a few times per day, and if I don't click cancel, I get the chance to enter the password from my iPhone. After I do, I'm told to enter the two factor auth code that appears on my other devices, but that code never arrives. Maybe that code would pop up on a device using that AppleID as its primary, but I don't have such a device. It's an App Store ID only.


Nice job, as usual, Apple. Their quality suffers for careless, hurried releases.

Jan 8, 2020 12:58 PM in response to arcadiathesloth

So I haven’t had it come up for a few days now, an action I took was ......

I went into “Family Sharing” on my iPhone. Family Members list I selected myself as organiser, then selected my iTunes account under “Purchases and Music” and entered in pwd etc to “Confirm Account”. Hasn’t happened again after that 🤞

Prior to the above I also reset my iWatch but issue returned straight away.

Jan 8, 2020 1:15 PM in response to pareezy

pareezy wrote:

So I haven’t had it come up for a few days now, an action I took was ......
I went into “Family Sharing” on my iPhone. Family Members list I selected myself as organiser, then selected my iTunes account under “Purchases and Music” and entered in pwd etc to “Confirm Account”. Hasn’t happened again after that 🤞
Prior to the above I also reset my iWatch but issue returned straight away.

So that's your primary App Store ID? Your solution makes sense, but several people here are having a prompt appear on their Watch for an Apple ID they haven't used in years, or one that's a secondary App Store account. The problem is that it's not associated with any device, and so there's no way to authorize the sign in.

Jan 8, 2020 1:32 PM in response to arcadiathesloth

The request on my phone had stopped for a few days, then yesterday I installed a new app using my current Apple ID todo so. Yesterday afternoon (NZtime) I had the request pop up a few times, this morning it’s pretty constant, it pops upon my watch. Press cancel, then on my phone, press cancel, it then pops up on my watch, press cancel, phone then watch ad infinitum... gaaahhh!

Jan 9, 2020 12:41 AM in response to mcrina

Question for everyone: Is the Apple ID popping up on your Watch an App Store account ID? Or was it ever used previously as an App Store ID? I'm suspecting there are several apps that were purchased with this particular Apple ID in the past that's been installed on my iPhone for years, and they (or parts of them, references to them, etc) just recently got installed on my Watch (even if that installation isn't completely visible) with an OS update.


I have hundreds of apps on my phone, so I'm going to try to find time to go through them and figure out which Apple ID was used to purchase them.


Still, I'm not sure why we would ever need to enter a password on the Watch instead of the iPhone. Doesn't make any sense.


[Edited by Moderator]

Jan 9, 2020 1:12 AM in response to robogobo

As the Apple ID dates back to 2012 prior to ownership of my first iPhone I have no idea. I probably set it up to back up an iPod.


the things I have done are:

deleted all apps that have a little cloud beside them, as they probably haven’t been updated to the latest iOS & I no longer used them anyway.

confirmed my current Apple ID password in the family sharing setting on my iphone

did a restart on my apple watch

did a forced restart (reboot) on my iphone more than once

not necessarily in that order

fingers crossed it hasn’t happened for a few hours now & I did have several days respite until I installed a new app.

My Apple Watch keeps asking for my Apple ID password

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