Apple ID "verification failed, an unknown error occurred"

Question

Apple ID "verification failed, an unknown error occurred"

Hi,

Recently I have been signed out of my Apple ID on my MacBook Air. For some reason I haven't been able to sign back in on my MacBook even when using the correct email and password - I always end up with a message saying "Verification failed - an unknown error occurred".

As you can imagine this is very frustrating and I have tried various solutions that I have googled with people posting about how they fix this issue on the iPhone but never a MacBook.

My Apple ID is the same for both my iPhone and MacBook, and so the strange thing is that it is working perfectly on my iPhone but will not sign into my MacBook - preventing me from allowing any app updates or using all the features in a MacBook linked to Apple ID (Mail, FaceTime, Photos etc.)

I am able to also sign into my iCloud using the safari browser, but not my MacBook itself - therefore it must be an issue with my MacBook and not the Apple ID account.

Does anyone know how I can fix this issue and what this 'unknown error' might be???

Thanks

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.1

Posted on Jan 20, 2021 9:19 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Root

Level 10

684,525 points

Jan 20, 2021 9:49 AM in response to redcherries42

Are you running any anti - virus programs? Using a VPN?

Try setting up another admin user account in System Preferences/Users & Groups to see if the same problem continues. Also try the Safe Mode.

Isolating an issue by using another user account

Safe Mode - About.

If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown. If the log won’t post, try posting it in Pastebin and provide a link in a reply. After pasting the report in a PasteBin page, go to the top of the page, and copy the address in the URL bar. Paste that in a new reply. Pastebin.

Etrecheck – System Information.

Web site version if required. https://etrecheck.com

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Answer 2

Jan 20, 2021 1:24 PM in response to Eric Root

Thank you for your response!

I have tried both of things you suggested - creating a new user account allowed me to sign into my Apple ID fine on that new login account - still with it not working on my original account. I tried the safe mode boot which did not seem to resolve the unknown error issue, therefore I didn't move onto the next steps you suggested as you stated "If it works in the Safe mode..."

I did recently install Combo Cleaner onto my MacBook (however this isn't specially an antivirus utility and I don't use a VPN as far as I'm aware)

Therefore I am still unfortunately stuck!

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,525 points

Jan 20, 2021 1:29 PM in response to redcherries42

You are welcome. If Combo Cleaner is a cleaning application, it may have 'over' cleaned your normal installation. Most long time posters recommend not using cleaning applications. Since it just started recently, do you have a backup you can restore from?

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Answer 4

Jan 20, 2021 3:20 PM in response to Eric Root

Hi again,

I don't have an external backup, however my documents are backed up through an alternative server, as recent documents (since being unable to access my Apple ID) haven't uploaded to my iCloud.

Is there a way I could transfer everything on my original account to the other admin user account I have logged into so I can just use that? And is there anything else I can do to try to make the original account accessible to my apple id?

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Apple ID "verification failed, an unknown error occurred"

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