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Level 1

39 points

This Mac can't connect to iCloud because of a problem with...

Since upgrading to Yosemite, at least once per day, I get a pop message informing me of an iCloud issue:

"This Mac can't connect to iCloud because of a problem with <my email address>

Open iCloud preferences to fix this problem"

But everything looks and works fine. I use all aspects of iCloud except email (I use a non-Apple email address for iCloud/AppleID/iTunes). Every one of them seems to operate perfectly. I have tried logging out of iCloud & resetting everything. I have tried unchecking and re-checking each element of iCloud. But no matter what I try, I end up getting the message above daily (usually more than once).

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to when the message will pop up. There's no pattern like "it does it when I close Safari" or "it does it when I edit a contact". The only pattern that I can come up with is that it seems to happen only when I am using the computer. So if/when I leave it turned on over-night (and I have sleep disabled), the message does not pop up.

I also have an iPhone (running iOS 8.1) and I have no iCloud issues or errors on that device. It's just on my MBP running Yosemite that I see this message.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Oct 30, 2014 7:29 AM

59 replies

Jul 5, 2015 12:36 AM in response to koltinb12

So, none of the Apple "Geniuses" could figure this out??? A fairly easy thing to try for an experienced Mac user; guess they don't have many of those anymore????

Brother ...

Anyway, thanks for your message on this as it seems to have worked for me as well (so far).

Aug 27, 2015 12:37 PM in response to smeetshim

This solved the problem for me, After reboot I could not log in to iCloud, the I restored the folder back over writing the existing account fold and I was able to log in to iCloud, and never had the problem again.

Thank you

Oct 19, 2015 10:18 PM in response to koltinb12

Thank you SO much! This worked for me!

Timbodog

Level 1

0 points

Oct 21, 2015 8:31 AM in response to EdMartin

Oct 23, 2015 4:57 PM in response to koltinb12

After trying different solutions for hours, yours was the one that did it for me. – and its quite simple..

THANK YOU!

Oct 24, 2015 3:43 PM in response to koltinb12

This solution partially worked for me..

in my keychain, the item with my email address had a jumble of numbers/letters, etc. for my password. it also had numbers for the "account".. i edited the "account" and added my email address again... reset the computer .. it then left that keychain entry and added the one with the numbers again (automatically)... there hasn't been a problem since.

Oct 24, 2015 4:43 PM in response to Chrisvklein

I was also too quick to post that it had worked for me. It only worked for me 5 minutes at a time.

Instead I did this:

* Only do this, if you don't rely on your Keychain to remember your passwords completely.

Firstly log out of iCloud on every apple device you own.

Then:

> open Finder - Go - Go to folder - /Library

> Delete the folder named "Keychains" (it'll recreate when you login the next time)

> Quit all apps

> Restart your Mac

> Login to iCloud from system prefs

And that's how I fixed my problem.

––––

Going to the Keychain before deleting it completely, and manually type in the right iCloud password only did the trick for me for 5 minutes at a time.

Oct 24, 2015 10:03 PM in response to EdMartin

I tried to solve this for weeks. Today I finally talked to Apple support, and he had me sign out of iCloud and then REBOOT, which I hadn't done last time. Sometimes rebooting just handles things. Seems it did! I signed back into iCloud and haven't had the message appear since.

Nov 25, 2015 7:19 AM in response to EdMartin

I have this identical problem after upgrading to El Capitan. It's really annoying. I hope Apple resolves this with an update.

Nov 25, 2015 9:05 AM in response to badgut130

This may be an iCloud/AppleID login issue and it worked for me. So, I log out of both Messages and FaceTime. Having logged out shut down your iMac and reboot in Safe Mode (Hold down the shift key immediately after switch on). Once into safe mode log back in to Messages & FaceTime and make sure both are working properly. Re-start the iMac as per normal and cross your fingers!

Jan 7, 2016 1:51 AM in response to koltinb12

This has solved the issue I have had since an update in December in El Capitan. Thank you.🙂

Mar 1, 2016 8:54 AM in response to koltinb12

I thought it was just me. Since 10.11 I've been getting this error on my MacMini which is ethernet wired daily. It seemed to manifest itself after logout and the computer went to sleep and then was woken up and logged back in. I thought it was an issue with DNS after first waking as the login prompt would sometimes fail immediately as well. 95% of the time I got this error. Very annoying. The fix above seems to have worked. Thanx!

Mar 4, 2016 9:23 AM in response to SidRipper

It worked for 2 days, and the behavior reverted. So this fix was temporary for me.

May 20, 2016 5:50 AM in response to EdMartin

The keychain fix was temporary and only worked until the computer went to sleep while logged out. I found the ultimate solution is to wake the machine up, then wait about 10 seconds before logging in. When I do this, the popup never appears. If I login immediately after wakeup, without waiting, the popup papers 95% of the time.

If I were to guess, there is a process that hasn't been fully spun up when the auth tries to hit the Apple servers. Waiting allows it, or all, the system services to be spun up.

This Mac can't connect to iCloud because of a problem with...