AOL iTunes Login Issue AGAIN?!

Just bumping my topic up to the top so that people will easily see it -- please help if you can, as it's now 3 days that I haven't been able to log into my iTunes. During the first two days, once in a while it would let me login, but not once all day today! Hope someone out there can help! 😍

Marsha

. . . anyone out there?! Please help . . . ?!

😢 😕 😍 ⚠

xoxoxoxox

I'm sorry to hear you're having the same problem, Dolphin -- but at least I'm not crazy! 😉

The last few times this happened from 2006-2010, there were dozens of posts here in the forums with other AOL users trying to help each other come to a solution -- and unfortunately, there was never one solid fix. Since nobody posted with complaints about this problem recently, I went digging through the old suggested fixes (some of which cleared up the issue in the past), but they have not worked. I thought maybe the problem may be with my iTunes on my laptop, so today I tried to login using my iPad and iPhone . . . same issue. It's definitely my iTunes account. I can still get into my AOL e-mail account without a problem. I'm SO frustrated.

I'm not sure what purpose you use iTunes for, but you're amazing if you're able to patiently wait for the problem to resolve itself -- apparently I'm not as patient as I thought, lol!!! To name a few examples, I use iTunes various services (including podcasts, apps, iTunes U, music, TV documentaries, etc.) for personal recreation, professional development, and for medical information, etc. If it were just for myself, I'd try to wait a bit longer . . . but when it's for professional endeavors, waiting isn't a feasible option! 😟

Dolphin, if you happen to find a resolution, please post here again -- I'd really appreciate it! Do you happen to have a direct e-mail address to get technical support from Apple for this type of problem? I was looking on their support website, but I could not find an e-mail address other than one for questions about purchases. They rarely look at this community support website, so it's unlikely that they'll see this thread I made. However, if I can get an e-mail address, then I'd be able to send them the link to this thread I created that describes the issue. If you e-mail Apple, you can also send them the link to this page if it will be helpful to you since I described the nature of the problem.

Thanks SO much for posting!

xoxoxoxox

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Apple,

What really upsets me the most, aside from not being able to get work done as I described above, is all of the deals and promotions I have missed out on (and will still miss until this problem gets resolved) in the time I haven't been able to use iTunes. Not to sound like a sob story, but I think Apple needs to understand how their repeated technical issues with this AOL login thing happening so many times since 2006 impacts people's lives. I have a permanent disability and medical issues from an accident I had back in 2003. I have no income (I got hand-me-down iDevices from great friends when they upgraded), and I can't easily get out of my home to have a good time -- so I truly rely on finding freebies and deals on iTunes to sustain my recreational fun (I even use some apps as part of my physical/cognitive therapy regimen!), and I'm very thankful when Apple and others make special offers so I can have my fun! I missed out on getting a whole bunch of apps I wanted while they were free -- there was, perhaps, $30-$35 worth of apps that I could have had through FreeAppADay.com, free promotions from individual developers, and through other free app promoters like OpenFeint, etc. Plus, I also missed other free promotions for songs, music videos, TV shows, etc. that Apple, musicians, music festivals (ie: Lollapalooza, etc.), and companies offer by giving redemption codes and/or can be downloaded without a code (if featured by Apple directly) -- I also estimate maybe $40 bucks worth of stuff I missed out on because the offers have already expired. So I've already lost out on roughly $75 worth of stuff, plus more for every other deal I'll miss until Apple can fix this problem. I never ask for anything, but it would be a really nice gesture and appropriate if Apple gave me a gift card to cover the cost of the $75 I've missed (plus a bit more $ for each additional day until they resolve my issue) . . . but alas, I'm dreaming cause I doubt they could do this in reality. 😟

So please, Apple, come to my rescue! I need to access my downloaded stuff on my laptop, and I need to download a heap of media from iTunes on a daily basis for my volunteer work, personal education, for fun, for my medical condition -- and SO much more! I do make purchases on iTunes and from the Apple Store when I get money gifts from friends for birthdays and such, so I am a paying customer like any other person. Please Apple, help me . . . and anyone else with this problem. Find a fix ASAP . . . but please work on a permanent solution so this problem never happens to anyone else using an AOL login. It's aggravating, inconvenient, and you'll lose customers this way. I love iTunes and my iDevices, and I want to be able to use and enjoy them.

I'm sorry if I'm ranting a bit, but I'm upset/frustrated and want you to understand how this can affect me and others experiencing this problem.

Please contact me at my AOL e-mail address if I can give you any information that will help you help me, and thanks for your help in this matter! 😍

xoxoxoxox

Thanks for responding, Rob! Yeah, changing your AOL password unfortunately doesn't help this problem. It seems iTunes for an unknown reason, can't recognize the AOL password or connect right to the AOL servers. This issue has been happening on and off since 2006, and I checked old forums people posted over the years to re-try their various solutions that often helped me fix the problem . . . but they don't seem to be helping this time.

If you happen to contact Apple, please let us know what they say! I've been looking for an e-mail address for this type of support issue , and I can't find one. If you have that info, let me know because I'd like to send them a link to this forum to show that people are having this issue again . . . and hopefully get it resolved for all of us!

Be in touch, and thanks for posting here!

xoxoxoxox

P.S. If anyone else is experiencing this AOL issue, please post here so Apple will see that this AOL thing has become an issue once again and needs a permanent solution once and for all!! Thanks!!

Thanks for your post, deeannmcq! How did you change time zones without being logged in?! Please let me know so I can try it! Hope your fix is still working for you!

I e-mailed Apple a couple of days ago, but I was away without Internet access. Gonna go check my inbox now . . . I'll let you know what they said!

It's crazy that there's no fix for this -- since 2006, both users and Apple have been guessing at fixes. Sometimes it's one thing, other times, another -- many times, the same fix won't work between several people. It's nuts! It's time that Apple fix this crazy AOL mess once and for all!

xoxoxoxoxox

I know! As I said, I tried this on my Dell, my iPhone, and my iPad . . . and I've heard Mac users complain in the past too. There really should be a fix by now seeing as this has happened since about 2006. I expect more from Apple!

I did e-mail Apple a couple of days ago, but I was away without Internet . . . gonna go check for their reply, and I'll get back to you. Hang tight, maybe they suggested another idea for a fix! Unfortunately, as you've discovered, there is no one fix for this blasted problem!

xoxoxoxox

Ok, I checked my e-mail and found a response from a very helpful Apple Customer Support person named Eric. 🙂

ℹ Eric said that it is possible to merge your AOL Login into an Apple ID and said this is the best solution . . . didn't offer me any other suggestions or give me the typical runaround, which I REALLY appreciate!

➖ He told me I should be able to do it myself, but his instructions didn't seem to work. He said he set up my account in such a way that I'd get a prompted to change to an Apple ID when I tried to login with my AOL account . . . but rather than getting the prompt, it logged into my AOL account as if the problem never existed. This was shortlived, though, because my iTunes froze within 2 minutes, and when I re-opened it, I started getting the same annoying error messages that my password couldn't be recognized.

ℹ Fortunately, the guy said that if I provided some verification information to him that Apple requires, he'd be able to transfer my AOL purchases to my Apple ID. So I just responded to his e-mail to give him permission to go ahead with that. Not sure how long this will take since it's the weekend and his e-mail said he works Mon-Fri, but I'm hoping the switchover is made ASAP. Maybe another Apple support person will reply in the meantime?

⚠ My only concern is whether my purchases will work/update, once the account switch is made, just as they did on my AOL account, or if I'll have to redownload apps, sync, or whatever else on my laptop and/or iDevices -- that's the only thing he didn't mention. I did ask him this, so I'm hoping he'll give me any instructions I may need to make this switchover as seemless as possible.

ℹ So I advise that everyone here e-mail Apple asking to transfer any purchases you've made using your AOL login to a new or already established Apple ID. Seems they don't readily offer this option, but perhaps they'll do it for you if you ask. I used this link to contact Apple: http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/contact/ -- click on the blue Express Lane link, follow through the instructions, and when you are asked to choose your problem from a list they give you, choose other and type in something like Difficulty logging into iTunes via AOL account: Password not recognized. Note that you will not be charged for the e-mail support option they will give you to write to them, even if you don't have Apple Care or an item under Apple Warranty, since this is an issue with your iTunes account (it says so at the above support link, under the blue button, in the fine print). In your e-mail, you can add a link to this discussion we've been having to show them that it's not an issue unique to your own account and that another Apple employee has given the option to convert my account. The link to our discussion is here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3348312?answerId=16248847022#16248847022

I'm clueless 😕 as to why Apple doesn't just do this for all AOL users to put this problem to bed once and for all. I hope this works for everyone and gives you a solution once and for all! Please write back to let me know if this information has helped you!

➕ I will write back to let you all know if the account switches over from my AOL login to my Apple ID easily -- particularly, if anything needs to be done beyond the switch, ie: re-downloading content, re-syncing devices, etc. If there are any instructions needed, I'll give you all that info.

It may take until Monday for my account to be switched, but hopefully, I'll never have to deal with this AOL login problem ever again! Crossing fingers, toes, etc.! 😝

Please check my post below, where I have found a solution and answer to your question . . . with instructions! Hope this info helps you!

xoxoxoxox