icloud: The maximum number of free accounts have been activated on this iPhone.

Yes, you simply used the recommended workaround by a longer route. You can create the new account on another iOS device or Mac, then you will be able to sign in to that account on the original device which had the over-the-limit error message. That's exactly what you achieved by your method. The point has always been that you need another device to do this. You can't get round it on just the one device.

The problem the OP described is that three accounts had already been created using that device. That's the maximum and it can't be got round. You obviously had a phone which hadn't reached that limit. The fact of it being previously owned doesn't affect this.

I probably didn't make my self clear enough because I was on a mobile device. The only reason I was notified/emailed about this post, was because I previous had this same exact issue and opted for notifications on any new replies. I bought a used phone, and when I tried to sign into the device, it gave me the same error message the op is referring to. I went on a mission to figure out why I was getting this error message, as I had never seen it before. There were multiple answers on here, of which none worked for me. The issue was eventually solved when I restored a random back up to the phone, and then I believe I master reset the phone and tried to sign in again. When I tried to sign in again, the issue was resolved. I just know for a fact I did have this issue with a 2nd and phone, and solved it.

Old thread and I might of mentioned this before, but if I remember correctly, I believe I got around this issue by restoring a random back up to the phone.

I know. But I did have this issue on a used phone that I purchased. After doing that, I think it some how was able to register it under a different iCloud account. I then factory reset it again and it took the ID. It was a while back, but I clearly remember this issue on an iPhone 5.

You may have asked everywhere, but clearly you have not read any of the posted answers in this thread or others. So I will repeat the answer for you.

1. Find a computer somewhere
2. open a web browser on it
3. Go to https://www.apple.com/icloud/setup/
4. Tap on For Mac or For Windows PC as appropriate
5. Follow the instructions to create an ICloud ID
6. Now go to your iPhone and log in with the ID you just created.

Note that this is only one of several ways to do it. All of them have been posted in this thread.

You could try reading my post four above yours. It's not a bad idea to read at least some of a thread when adding to it.

You can't reset it. Read the thread. The answer has appeared multiple times already.

Cheers,

GB

Did you bother to reset the device and set it up as new when you got it, or did you just pop in your SIM and go, complete with all the settings and apps and whatever else was on it when you picked it up?

Has anyone found a solution to this problem? I was so disappointed reading down the thread that it didnt get resolved since this is obvioulsy not just a problem on jailbroken devices. I have one that is NOT hacked and I get this error message too. Please HELP!! I need this for work!!!

Lawrence Finch wrote:

You may have asked everywhere, but clearly you have not read any of the posted answers in this thread or others. So I will repeat the answer for you.

1. Find a computer somewhere
2. open a web browser on it
3. Go to https://www.apple.com/icloud/setup/
4. Tap on For Mac or For Windows PC as appropriate
5. Follow the instructions to create an ICloud ID
6. Now go to your iPhone and log in with the ID you just created.

Note that this is only one of several ways to do it. All of them have been posted in this thread.

You can only create an iCloud account on a Mac or an iOS device (the 'For Windows' section on the page linked to tells you to go to a Mac or iOS device first to create the account)..

Then you wouldn't have been setting up a new iCloud account, so you wouldn't have the problem. This thread is about people who are setting up a brand new iCloud account, and cannot because the maximum number of iCloud accounts that can be set up on a given device have been used up.

Cheers,

GB