Why does my account keep getting locked? I’ve looked through everything and there have been no new downloads or purchases made. Only my device is set to my Apple ID account. I’ve had to change my password multiple times already.
What’s going on?
I have had this problem too, getting locked out at least once a day, but some times up to 3 times in the same day. I had an online chat with Apple support about it, and I learned a few things during that chat and after trying some things:
So I tried putting my iPhone (X) in airplane mode. I then logged out of iCloud/Apple on my MacBook Pro (2012) and closed the lid to sleep the machine. Finally, I logged out of iCloud/Apple on my iMac (2019) and my Mac Pro (5,1). This left my iPad (4) as the only device logged in. And STILL the problem happened. As an example, the moment I took my phone out of airplane mode, the "account locked" message came up.
Although I acknowledge the nuisance that 2FA was in the early days, during my 13 days with 2FA enabled (1 day short of the 2-week point-of-no-return) I did not encounter -any- nuisance authentication requests. In other words, I was never once challenged to have to enter an authorization code sent to my iPhone in order to "do" anything on any other device. When you enable 2FA, you do have to log into each device now that 2FA is enabled, and when doing so you get some type of notification that the device you're logging into is now a known trusted device. Now that it's a trusted device, you won't get challenged by 2FA for any authorization code for anything you do on THAT device. And so, since all of my devices were trusted, I never once saw a 2FA challenge during the 13-day period. I'm pretty sure that if I got some new device during that time and tried to set up iCloud on it, I'd be challenged by 2FA one time for that new device, but then it would be trusted.
My point is: like many of you here, I've resisted 2FA for a very long time, and even disabled it 13 days after enabling it. But, I have to say that life with 2FA didn't actually have any of the nuisances that were reported by people in the long ago past, and if I cannot get to the bottom of this with 2FA disabled, I will probably end up re-enabling 2FA and letting that become permanent by allowing it to stay enabled past the 14 days. Because it DID solve the "account locked" problem for me.
Sure "possible reasons", it sounds like you're guessing because apple isn't providing the support they should be providing.
More importantly, if someone is regularly trying to hack my account - I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT!!
If I have an incorrect password configured somewhere, let me know - SO THAT I CAN FIX IT!!
Sorry if it seems like I'm having a go at you.
apple keeps dropping the ball and you're not really in a position to speak on their behalf.
Spoke to telephone support to try to find out if my account was compromised, they were unaware of this problem. I too don’t want to use two factor because I like to vacation abroad and if my device was stolen I couldn’t buy a new one and sign into my account!
Whenever a website offers to remember a password it takes a full minute to load... which seems to be another tactic to strong arm me into 2FA.
Your experience is exactly the same as mine and you are so spot on on every aspect. My iCloud account and service was fine for the last 10 years... until November 2020.
This thread now has 600 "I have this question too", and I'm sure the amount of people affected is in the thousands. The thread was viewed by 13,766 people.
I was on the phone for almost an hour too and pretty much begged for the support advisor to help escalate this to senior iCloud engineers and restore normal service once and for all.
But like you, I believe Apple is fully aware of this issue and may even have created it in order to push obsolescence on older devices. Some of my devices are indeed older as well, but some aren't. And I get locked out on all of them...
It is really sad that, since November 2020, we have to live with the constant fear of Apple mishandling our sensitive personal data and deteriorating the iCloud service and our enjoyment of the Apple devices we purchased.
I have been locked out of my apple ID for 22 days now. The automated recovery system keeps stalling so the 20 hours has been restarted countless times. The advisor does not get back to me and I am still waiting for the promised engineering people to speak to me. I have had to turn off all of my devices so I am unable to work, check my banking, see if I have been hacked, work my security system, etc. It is ridiculous.
Massively frustrating for sure. For a company who's tag line is 'it just works' it sure is comical at this point. My frequency of lockouts has reduced to maybe once bi-weekly at best and once weekly at worst. I was considering purchasing a new MBP and a phone, but to be frank if Apple can't sort this issue out in over a year or can't be honest and tell us the real reason this is happening, then I'm not so sure Apple should get my hard earned. I moved all my personal machines over to the Apple eco-system 20 years ago due to my frustrations with Windows. I'm starting to feel the pull of the dark side once again!
Same annoying issue here!!
I have this as well! I've changed my passcode and did the Malware bites, but nothing! I've had to do it several times and I don't know why! At least I'm not the only one with the issue!
Thank you for that information as I thought you did have a 2 week time frame. Sort of a recall now that they stopped doing that. To me, you should be free to turn it on and off at whim.
same with me its really annoying that it keeps locking my account for no reason.
Mine has been getting locked every day or 2, I noticed today it was re-locked soon after signing into my iphone 6 on ios 10. I keep it on 10 to allow my 32bit apps to still work.
Interesting. I'll try this next time it pops up.
My iPhone 6S now seeks to force me to use 2FA with iMessage. Since when? Stop bullying me Apple 🤬
I did and they didn’t know why....it’s why I posted the question on here....
I enabled it and the problem magically stopped. I have not had it happen in a couple weeks now so I’m thinking it might actually be a factor.
I actually do the 2 factor authentication and I STILL have to Re-do everything constantly.
Account keeps getting locked for security reasons and requires me to change my password constantly last couple weeks
