You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Demo Author

Level 10

166,633 points

Can’t get into some iCloud settings, errors occurring

I updated my wife’s iPad from 15.6 to 16.3. I can not turn her iCloud backup on again after cancelling a backup that was in progress while the iPad was preparing the update. The backup was not going anywhere so I decided to cancel it. It wouldn’t cancel so I turned off the iCloud backup. I also noticed that her iPad hasn’t backed up since 1/11 and it is set for auto backups. I was able to turn iCloud backups on again while the update was preparing.

Now I can’t turn the backup on again, but it was enabled when I updated the device. I am now getting this message An Unknown Error Occurred. Please try again later.

Not only can I not turn that the backup on again, if I try to enable Access iCloud Data on the Web in the settings and she verifies her identity, it fails as well. I get a message that says, Something went wrong. Try again.

If I try enabling Sync this iPad in the iCloud Drive setting, I get the same unknown error occurred.

Something must be going on with her iCloud account. I’m clueless. Anybody?

Edit - I was able to sign her into iCloud.com account on her iPad if that means anything.

Posted on Jan 23, 2023 5:17 PM

Top-ranking reply

ishrugged

Level 3

551 points

Posted on Jan 27, 2023 10:42 AM

Thank you for the feedback. I had already discovered the alternate backup location and it works for me (at least manually, haven't tried automatic). As you said, maybe that will give peace of mind. MisterMisterMister in the next post reports that he has 2FA on so 2FA might not have a part in this.

A couple things to report:

I gather from your OP that you updated OTA; I updated through a Mac by wire.

Since then, I tried updating using recovery mode, again through the Mac by wire––no joy.

Despite not being able to enable Notes (again, unknown error) in Settings app > iCloud > Apps using iCloud, I was able to both send and receive notes via iCloud using the iPad. iCloud Notes had been enabled and successfully used in the previous OS.

So, iCloud is working. Sounds like a bug.

View in context

Similar questions

40 replies

Demo Author

Level 10

166,633 points

Feb 7, 2023 4:13 AM in response to Aliza2023

My wife has always used a passcode on her devices, but she isn’t using 2FA. She is nagged every day when opening her devices to update her Apple ID settings to 2FA and every day I choose other options in order to opt out.

I checked her iPad yesterday and it is still backing up even though I still can’t get into her iCloud settings. I am hoping that another update is on the horizon that will fix this, but if an update doesn’t fix it, I will have her start using 2FA. If that doesn’t fix it, I will really be ticked off.

My daughter and I have both been using 2FA for a while. It’s not that big of a deal, unless you were to be caught in a situation where you need to get a code to enter on your device and you have no other devices with you or can’t get in touch with someone who has a trusted phone number. In that case, you could be locked out of your device.

Feb 7, 2023 4:41 AM in response to MisterMisterMister

MisterMisterMister - good question. I have not turned off any devices since the fixed worked. But since it is running correctly I won’t take that chance for now. Someone mentioned in the list of devices at bottom of Apple ID page that other devices, not the one you are on, have a “ - “ minus sign under iCloud backup when you click on another device name. My thought is that the option to turn iCloud backup on or off for any other device that you are not on is not available from the second device. You must do that on each device separately. I know all my devices are backing up, so I don’t think that - means your device is not backing up only that you can’t do it from another device. I may be wrong. If anyone else talks to an Apple technician, maybe they can ask that question.

please post if you try the pass code, and it works for you too.

Feb 7, 2023 11:55 PM in response to Demo

I live alone and I do not have “trusted” people that I can contact if I had a problem of this nature, I won’t do that for other people if they asked me so I would never want to ask someone else to do that for me. This horrible solution is highly invasive of a persons privacy and, in the first place Apple, you’re supposed to be the company that cares more about our privacy than Microsoft or Google. Superior privacy is why Windows users like myself decided to get an iPhone and eventually I plan to get a Apple computer but now I’m wondering if Apple is no more pro privacy and Microsoft!

jolam489

Level 1

23 points

Feb 8, 2023 7:01 AM in response to Aliza2023

Hi...tried the passcode and it didn't work. Tried restarting my iphone 13 pro afterward...didn't help. Not using 2FA, and would like to avoid it, if possible. I normally don't update my iOS for several weeks after release to avoid these types of problems, but tech reviewers posted 16.3 was stable and closed several security loopholes. Will be more careful in the future! Can't believe Apple isn't taking this issue seriously. Hopefully, a solution is forthcoming!

Feb 8, 2023 7:29 AM in response to jolam489

It seems to be that you must have 2FA on, and a pass code in order to get your iCloud to function. I already had 2FA on but no pass code. So when the tech help me set up a pass code, iCloud immediately came on, and then I was able to disable the pass code and it is still working since then. 2FA does not bother me but I can understand why some users don’t like it. You are correct Apple should not be forcing 2FA on users, hopefully they will release an update to allow users to make their own decisions on how much security is enough. Good luck on this problem.

jolam489

Level 1

23 points

Feb 9, 2023 7:46 AM in response to Aliza2023

Today, I checked my iCloud backup history: Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Tap Manage Account Storage, then tap Backups. Tap a backup to see more details about it, choose which information to back up, or delete the backup. My iPhone is backing up even though I'm getting the error message and can't turn iCloud auto backup on.

egr273

Level 1

8 points

Feb 13, 2023 8:15 AM in response to Demo

I had this same issue.

What solved it for me is to add my phone number again for two factor authentication.

Settings > Your Name > Password & Security

Next to trusted phone number click on “edit” > “add a trusted phone number”

I just added the same phone number that I already use and it was accepted.

Now when I go back to settings it all works.

ishrugged

Level 3

551 points

Feb 13, 2023 10:24 AM in response to Demo

FWIW, you might want to wait a bit longer. On another site, I saw a screenshot of an update to iOS 16.3.1 that just became available. There's nothing on the Apple security update page yet, but that's not all that unusual.

(It states there's bug fixes.)

ishrugged

Level 3

551 points

Feb 13, 2023 10:59 AM in response to Demo

The update to iPadOS 16.3.1 fixed the issue for an iPad 9th gen without enabling 2FA.

Demo Author

Level 10

166,633 points

Jan 26, 2023 4:20 AM in response to j.norish

For clarity, are you saying that you are getting an unknown error message when you try to get into some iCloud settings? This is what I get on my wife’s iPad when I try to enable on iCloud backup.

KMB_12

Community Specialist

Jan 25, 2023 2:00 PM in response to Demo

Hi Demo,

At this point, we recommend reaching out to Apple directly to resolve this issue here: Get Support

Cheers!

Demo Author

Level 10

166,633 points

Jan 25, 2023 2:16 PM in response to KMB_12

I assumed that would be the case. Thanks for trying.

j.norish

Level 1

20 points

Jan 25, 2023 6:56 PM in response to Demo

Same, on all my devices that updated to the new 16.3, any that have not are fine. We have turned off the auto update on the ones that have not updated to 16.3 as it has been an absolute disaster!

CMC410

Level 1

8 points

Jan 27, 2023 8:14 AM in response to ishrugged

Same issue here on IPhone and iPad since the update , tried signing in and out , reset and still have the problem.perhaps Apple can send a fix for this ?

Jan 27, 2023 9:53 AM in response to Demo

Same problem for me - iOS 16.3 on an iPhone and iPad - 2factor is turned on and have tried logging out and in of Apple ID and rebooting.

Can’t get into some iCloud settings, errors occurring