Apple TV - Your Apple ID Cannot be found or Password is incorrect

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Apple TV - Your Apple ID Cannot be found or Password is incorrect

Hi all

I am going around in circles with this one and none of the existing questions I can find answer my question. Our Apple TV did a software upgrade recently and since then we have not been able to use it. When we try to do anything we get a message saying your Apple ID cannot be found or your Password is incorrect. Thing is, I have logged into support using the same ID and password that I am trying to use on the Apple TV so I know it does work.

This all came about because our Apple TV was trying to home share but couldn't despite sharing being on across devices.

I have checked to see if iTunes is up to date - it is. I have restarted the Apple TV - nothing. We have tried logging into Apple TV with another ID - same error message. Correct wifi connection - check.

Totally stumped - can anyone help? Please also bear in mind I am not techy so please keep any instructions simple and obvious!!

Thanks!

Posted on Dec 15, 2020 12:43 PM

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Answer 1

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debsy999 Author

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25 points

Dec 16, 2020 8:34 AM in response to debsy999

Hi Urquhart1244

I just wanted to say thank you for your help. I think I have things fixed now. What is so odd is that when I turned on my Apple TV today everything was visible in terms of all of the pay per view TV, films, etc. None of that was visible previously. Seems like an Apple fairy got things working overnight. I was able to go into Settings and sign in no problem, ID and password worked fine, verification worked fine. Home sharing is now on and I am able to see my purchases too.

I really don't know what happened overnight but whatever was wrong with the Apple TV yesterday and previously was not evident today so I had no issues at all. Very odd, but now fixed. Thank you!

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Answer 2

Dec 16, 2020 5:35 AM in response to debsy999

The issue may be in two-factor authentication.

If you have an Apple TV (2nd or 3rd generation) and two-factor authentication for your Apple ID, then you may be asked to type your password followed by the six-digit verification code directly into the password field. Additionally, there is a time limit, after which the code becomes invalid.

Try this: First enter the characters of your password (do not submit yet), then manually request a new verification code, then append that code to the password (no spaces or other separating characters), and then submit. That should help you get passed the time limit.

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Answer 3

Dec 16, 2020 7:20 AM in response to debsy999

If two-factor authentication isn’t activated, then something else is going on, and you can’t request a verification code.

To activate two-factor authentication, a secondary so-called “trusted device” is needed, on which you can receive verification codes. Often, this will be a phone, ideally an Apple device. Changing/editing account details, particularly the password, may also push for two-factor authentication, as Apple considers it essential for account safety. You may have agreed to it without much thought, but it wouldn’t be automatic, because of the “trusted device”.

If you have it activated, then it would be listed as such on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac, in the details for your Apple ID account. It would also be marked as such on the Apple ID website.

You can request a new verification code at any time, as often as you like, regardless of such code being send to you automatically, or not. The last send code will always be the valid one. A next time, when needed, the code will be different.

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Answer 4

debsy999 Author

Level 1

25 points

Dec 16, 2020 5:40 AM in response to Urquhart1244

We have not come across any request for a verification code, either we don't have the two fact authentication or have not been able to get that far. If I were to request a new verification code, is that obvious in terms of doing it manually?

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Answer 5

debsy999 Author

Level 1

25 points

Dec 16, 2020 7:57 AM in response to Urquhart1244

Thanks for this - two-factor verification is initiated on my Apple ID and I have used it before. What's odd is that we have not seen any option to request a verification code on the Apple TV as we have been trying to sign in. I will check again, maybe it is not in an obvious place. Wish me luck!

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