Account keeps getting locked for security reasons and requires me to change my password constantly last couple weeks

I'm dealing with the exact same issues myself. For the past 2 months my AppleID has been getting locked on the regular. Most recently it's happening everyday which is very frustrating. I have now spoken to five Apple service agents on calls as long as two hours, still none the wiser as to what is going on. I've jumped through all the testing hoops; re-set my password more times than I care to remember; reinstalled operating systems on all my hardware and signed everything out of iCloud and left it for a couple of days, only to find my AppleID has been locked upon resigning in. You name it, I've done it, yet the problem persists. I find it very odd that none of my hardware is being used (sleep) when the AppleID is locked, but the vibe I get from customer services is that it's all my end: My hardware is too old, you need 2FA yada yada. So, in order to put pay to the old hardware being the issue, I borrowed a MPB running Big Sur and made sure that was the only machine signed into my account. Yup, Apple ID still got locked. Now the service department wants me to set up 2 factor for my original account and open up another account to use/test in the meantime. The irony being that I have to wait two weeks to set up 2 factor on my original account because of a grace period Apple has implemented when you make major changes - like resetting your password every 24 to 48 hours! Somehow I have a hunch 2FA won't fix the issue and I'm hesitant to set it up. The frustrating point for me is that the only service I sign into is Messages - to keep in touch with elderly family members abroad - everything else remains logged out. I've asked customer services a dozen times can they check logs and see if my account is being locked as a result of failed attempt to access my ID? I've been told this is not the case, but they can't tell me why my account keeps getting locked. I don't understand how something that has been working rock solid for me, with not a single issue since 2008, has suddenly become so problematic. The great news is that I opened up the Big Sur MBP that I'm typing this on tonight and received a pop up box to enter a password to my original, problematic apple ID; an account it's not logged into....so it's getting weirder.

Also just noticed all the gibberish after my user name! What's with all the ampampamp rubbish? Something fishy is going on with Apple!

I don't want to jinx it, but the method I described in my last comment seems to still be working. When I get a pop-up on one of my ipads to log into iTunes, I just close it. Then I log in to Manage my Apple ID in a website browser. Once I do that, then I can check my iTunes login on the iPad, and it is fine - no login needed. I haven't been locked out and had to unlock and reconnect devices since doing this. And I also haven't had a login popup on one of my laptops or phone for several days now.

I thought the same thing, I do think it's Apple not liking us NOT using the 2 step verification

Is anyone here having the issue with the 2 step verification on?

Or are we having the same issue because we have this feature off?

I am having the same issue, I log into my Mac, it says the account associated with the Apple ID cannot connect, please re enter password!

So you re enter your password (and it is the correct passward)

It says the account is now locked please reset your password, so you have to reset your password using the security questions

re enter your newly created password.

This should be fine for maybe a day or so.

You will then log onto your mac again after maybe 2 days, same thing again.

AppleID cannot connect using this account, please enter your passward, account gets locked again (even though the password is correct) and so it starts again & again & again & so on.

It's a vicious loop.

So basically I have tried EVERY solution out there to fix this, nothing has worked, nothing is conflicting, internet connection is secure, no one is hacking my account (or pretty sure there are not, bit sad if they are for this long and being unsuccessful) etc etc.

So until this has been fixed, I have removed my AppleID comepletely from my mac.

No idea if it will help but I have had some relief from it and afraid saying so will jinx it. After having to unlock your acct then try to do a hard reboot. Google can help in finding out how for your devices. Model. As long as Apple is nagging about it, won’t hurt to hard reboot. Not shut the device off and back on. Hard reboot.

I have changed my password, even changed my Apple ID and I still have this issue. I agree with others that it is likely because I refuse to use 2-factor authentication. This has made using my iCloud account very inconvenient as the account locking will often (though not always) require me to change my password and then I have to update all my devices.

My solution is to phase out apple products in my life as I need to replace items like my phone, computer, and tablet.

I haven't been locked out in over 30 days now. I think that it is a bug on their servers. I think that posted earlier the things I did to alleviate the problem such as turning off wifi on old devices that really don't need to connect to the internet the apple account any more. It was burdensome for a while but over time it corrects. It is better to not overreact to it by changing passwords etc. Just remember your security questions and unlock your account that way.

Apple watch, ipad pro, ipad mini 4, iphone, apple tv app on rokus and roku tv. imessage and facetime. itunes and apple store. vast amount of being taunted to sign in and verify id way too many times. Annoying for one device once, pure harassment to have to do it over and over with all linked to your id being effected. Changed my password a few times. Hard resetting phone a few times as well as ipads. Assured a card on file though later found somehow I had to verify same card with same credentials over. To me, that hints at apple store/itunes lost the verification on their end as I never deleted the card and expiration date did not need updating. So more going on than just being forced to repeat its your apple id. As if my card needed to be verified twice chances are others may find they have to do so as well by checking their apple account.

This is spot on and exactly how it feels. Pure harassement.

And the users on this discussions forum quoting our issues and then copy/pasting their useless solutions (all tried already as we've mentioned multiple times) is also harassement at this stage. Again, for the wealthiest company in the world to be unable to look into this and fix the issue swiftly, this is absolutely appalling and also alarming.

I can't help but think Apple hasn't been keeping iCloud secure for a long time and they know it. The whole thing must be a mess like an old tyre that has been patched up with spaghetti code too many times and can't be fixed anymore.

This thread had 20 "I have this question too" 48 hours ago. It now has 52. If Apple can't flag this as being an alarming and serious situation, I guess all hope is lost and Apple is like Facebook, Google and the likes, mishandling our sensitive personal data.

Same here in this household, 4 iphones, 4 macs, ipad, 4 watches all randomly ask to log back into icloud, imessage, podcast, app store. Something is wrong Apple !!! It started about 1 1/2 months ago for us.

I have this too, on 4 devices, it's driving me crazy. Resetting my password seemed to work for about 2 days, then it all started up again.

I also do not have have two-factor authentication enabled... and have wondered if this is more "encouragement" to force people to enable it. I'd be interested to see if anyone with 2FA enabled is having the same issue (and also if they then also have to input a text message code every time they re-enter their password!). I am tempted to enable 2FA for a few days to see if it helps the problem, then disable it again before the 2 week cut off is up.

I turned 2FA on once by accident and turned it off again. They may have discontinued the two week grace period, but this Apple Support article says it still exists and outlines the process. If this problem persists (or if I accidentally enable it again) then I will give it an try.

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT204915

I reset my password on 12/29/20 because it was doing this and was told by an Apple rep that it was because my passwords security was not up to par for apple’s new standard, which it was according to all documentation I could find, but I reset it anyway. It’s already flagged in settings as having been part of a data leak so clearly Apple is just unable to keep accounts secure. Super frustrating and not something that happens with my google account ever. Really makes me question Apple to be honest.

Is there room on this bus for one more? This first happened to me a couple of months ago. More recently, it seems to be a weekly event. As many others here have said, changing the password did no good.

A couple of years ago I briefly enabled 2FA, and it proved to be a major pain in the aft, having to verify every other thing I wanted to do by okaying it on a different device. So I ditched it. I also see that there are at least a couple of people in this thread who do have 2FA enabled and are still getting the dread account lockout regularly.

It just happened to me again late last night. Next time, I will try the suggestion posted here and login to icloud.com on my desktop, jumping through the hoops there instead of on my iPhone. Fingers crossed...

I have to join the party here. I posted the question in another thread and got a useless response with a link to the general Apple ID page. I have been having this since November 2020. Originally, I was worried that there was an actual hacker targeting me, but now that I have read the thread it has to be Apple trying to force people to use two factor authorization. It has rendered our Apple TV useless since it is so difficult to enter a password.

What this will actually do is get people to create easier to crack, less secure passwords since they have to re-enter them on all of their devices every two weeks.

You know with covid, the craziness of the world and all the stress going on, you would think that they would try to make the lives of their customers better, but no.

I think that you are right. I have several devices and have the problem, while someone I know has one device and never has the problem.

I won't do the two-factor authentication because I just don't like the idea of using a phone number as a security method. Scammer calls every day on that thing so no thanks! Instead, have a really hard password. Retire or unhook old devices from the internet by turning off wi fi on them.