Cannot sign into Windows iCloud: get a pop-up with only a red circle with a white cross

I'm guessing the problem is with version 14 of the iCloud for windows app. I went back to version 13 and everything is working.

Behind my home firewall/router I got the same issue: Empty error message. Once I connected to a mobile hotspot the authentication worked without issues. I tested this several times. Worked on mobile hotspot, stopped working when connected behind my home firewall/router. I started to suspect blocked packages. However after some more testing it suddenly started working behind my home firewall/router also. So I really did not get any wiser. I do not completely rule out firewall issues, though.

Can anyone in this forum confirm if they also see different behavior based on how they connect to the internet? Through a restrictive firewall or not? What is strange I only see this unstable behavior on a Windows Client. My mac client works ok through my home firewall/router, always.

Further info to my previous post. I tried signing in with an old Apple ID I used for work and it worked fine. This leads me to believe it must have something to do with my account. I have not yet tried signing out and back in again or changing my current Apple ID as doing so will result in losing some of my data. I may have to if it is the only way to fix this. Anyone out there brave enough to try it?

I'm glad the fix is working! However as someone who doesn't do any tinkering behind the scenes, the instructions are a bit overwhelming!

(The first part I don't even know what this means:)

How I fixed it:

* certmgr.mmc, file->add/remove snap-in, certificates, my user account. There should be a certificate in Personal\Certificates with a Issued By of Apple iPhone Device CA. Delete it.

I was able to follow this next thread- and found 4 files in the S-1-5-21 folder. None of them contain much text, but the first one does have the demon terminology! I'm afraid to delete it though, as I don't know what is meant by "backup this directory before messing with it" I don't know how to back up a directory or what one even is hehe.

* In file explorer, go to %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA. There should be a folder with a name like S-1-5-21...or the like. Go in there.

* Backup this directory before messing with it.

* Open each file with Notepad, starting with the oldest one. You're looking for one that has the string APNSDaemon in it. Delete that one.

* Restart the computer and icloud signin should work now.

Here is what's strange. On one iCloud account, I login to the iCloud app go through 2FA and the app loads. However on another after 2FA it pinwheels for about 10 seconds before throwing the dreaded red X. I was able to duplicate this on two different computers, one completely virgin which never had iCloud installed on it.

I tried to follow the steps above to correct the account that won't login to no avail. Considering one of the two Apple IDs are able to login to the app it seems there is an issue with the account itself than the app.

Install an older version. Which CANNOT be obtained from the Microsoft store!

Thank you!!! This finally fixed my problem. I spent hours following tips online and none of them worked. Uninstalled the new bad one and install the older version. Logged in!

Quit wasting time with registry and certificates and uninstall the Apple ware and install the previous iCloud 12.xxx app I posted earlier. First shot, it works !

When I was on the phone with Apple, I also asked if there was a way to install an older version. They said here's no facility to download older versions in the Microsoft Store. Looks like we'll have to wait for an update. (Yea, right. When will that happen?)

When I tried the solution that elsaki posted I was then able to sign on in a Std User Windows account. When I tried it on an account with Administrator capability it still failed with the Box with the Red X. I also uninstalled iCloud from all accounts on my computer and tried to purge it from the Registry (as best i know how) but still couldn't get it to work on a Admin Account. I was just shooting in the dark (well with a night light on) on that one.

It's gonna take someone with more knowledge of the internals of the product to find a solution.

elsakl

No just search for the previous app as iCloud 12.5.74

To avoid the notepad step:

Open cmd.exe

cd %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\

findstr /sin APNSDaemon *

(delete those)

I'm having this same issue. I would love a response, as it worked perfectly fine a few weeks ago to sync all my devices. I am running the same version of windows 11 Home and icloud. I tried reinstalling, repairing, and removing the pc from my icoud devices. It is rather frustrating because I use icloud heavily for documents on all my devices. If there isn't a fix for this soon, I will need to switch to box or google drive on all my devices and stop paying for icloud.

Worked for me as well. This older version of iCloud for Windows also fixed my original problem that I wasn't able to sync my iCloud calendar with Outlook. I had reinstalled iCloud from the Microsoft Store and then couldn't even log in to the app. Now everything is working fine

I could not get past the red icon door message pop-up when using a different Apple ID. (Same Windows user but event two different Apple ID. No change.)

i spent an hour with Apple iCloud support this evening. (Already typed a potential work-around in the other discussion, thread/254376001.) Issue, Apple cannot say what is “blocking” the 2nd Factor piece from happening. Microsoft does not care to get involved. AND there are many pieces (other apps, VPN, firewall, virus protection, etc.) that could be causing the issue.

I do not know about an Apple official download for prior software versions.

Foe not working, I would guess that you missed one (or more) of the pieces you need to delete. I used search in the editor portion. I search for just “APNS” and for each check if it was one to remove / delete.