Tried everything, FaceTime has an error occurred during activation on my iPad Air.

Question

Tried everything, FaceTime has an error occurred during activation on my iPad Air.

My iPad refuses to connect to FaceTime or iMessage. It goes to the "verifying" screen displaying the list of telephone numbers and email addresses, then goes back to the main screen and displays "An error occurred during activation. Try again."

This is what I have done to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Followed the instructions on http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201422 and…

1.1 confirmed that device and time zone settings are correct (both using "set automatically" and manually configuring it via choosing the nearest city to me;

1.2 tried disabling and re-enabling iMessage and FaceTime.

2. Contacted Apple web chat support and tried all the following:

2.1 resetting network settings

2.2 turning off FaceTime and iMessage on my iPhone and Mac and turning it back on again (also in different order – iPhone first; Mac first)

2.3 turning off and on two-factor authentication on my account;

2.4 completely erasing and restoring my iPad from iCloud backup, iTunes backup;

2.5 setting up as a completely new iPad (over the air; and also restoring and re-installing the latest iOS version via iTunes)

3. I also tried the following:

3.1 setting up a completely new Apple ID account;

3.2 completely deactivating iMessage via http://support.apple.com/en-us/TS5185

None of the above worked. My iPhone and Mac connects back to iMessage without a hitch, but my iPad simply refuses to do so, and instead shows "An error occurred during activation. Try again."

In addition, the person at Apple web chat confirmed there are no settings on their end (e.g. they can't deactivate/re-enable iMessage for my account on their end). I haven't got another iOS device to try to see if it's an account problem but thus far it appears to be a problem entirely on that particular iPad.

This is really a problem for me as one of the reasons for sticking with iOS is for FaceTime/iMessage… So, I wanted to know if anyone has any ideas for me to try, or if else has experienced anything similar or have any suggestions to resolve this problem.

Probably unrelated, but my iPad Air is just over a year old, purchased on the Hong Kong store in December 2013. It was replaced with a by the Apple Store Bullring United Kingdom in November 2014 after the Home button broke.

Any help would be most appreciated!

iPad Air Wi-Fi

Posted on Jan 20, 2015 12:05 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Demo

Level 10

166,500 points

Jan 20, 2015 1:21 PM in response to mintchocicecream

I have seen more people posting about having problems trying to activate FaceTime and Messages in the last couple of weeks than I can remember seeing for months and months. That just doesn't seem right to me. It would seem to indicate some kind of problem on Apple's end, but their system status website has not shown any problems with either service from what I have seen.

I am really stumped as to what else you might try except to switch WiFi networks and try to activate somewhere else and/or reset your router if you haven't done so already.

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Answer 2

Jan 21, 2015 2:56 PM in response to mintchocicecream

Same issue. I can not get facetime and imessage work on my ipad air.

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Answer 3

Jan 22, 2015 12:40 PM in response to Demo

Good suggestion, thanks; but unfortunately it didn't work either – I also tried to connect via tethering to my iPhone's 4G connection (instead of my home wifi) but unfortunately it didn't work either. It's very bizarre!

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Answer 4

Demo

Level 10

166,500 points

Jan 22, 2015 3:27 PM in response to mintchocicecream

Others are talking about this problem. I have never seen this many people having problems trying to activate FaceTime and Messages.

imessage and Facetime sign in activation error iPad ios8.1.2

ipad air cant sign in imessage and facetime for ios 8.1.2

Re: An error occurs whe activating iMessage try again - I have tried all suggestions and message and face time are still not working - why?

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Answer 5

Jan 23, 2015 12:44 AM in response to mintchocicecream

I have raised this issue with apple support this week too after my Facetime and iMessage stopped working on Saturday.

Been very interesting to read the ever increasing number of comments and issues being raised on this one (more than 500 views and dozens of replies so far).

My post is here:

imessage and Facetime sign in activation error iPad ios8.1.2

What is especially interesting about your post is that you had your iPad Air replaced in November 2014 in the UK. I bought my iPad Air originally in October 2014, and had to have it replaced in an Apple Store in Bristol in November after the original stopped charging. This does make me wonder if there is a batch of faulty iPads? Mmm...

I have raised a fully escalated support case with Apple on this, and their latest response is that a 'patch' or fix is being investigated by their engineers and to wait a week or so at which point they might be releasing it to affected users - or even across every users.

I wish there was a way to get this to Apple's attention and the wider media as well, but I don't know how best to do that.

I guess the best thing we can do is keep hassling Apple for a response and raising support cases 😕

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Answer 6

lesh_k

Level 1

0 points

Jan 23, 2015 5:19 AM in response to mintchocicecream

I also replaced ipad (two tablet, this third) due to problems with power button. On the new ipad is also a problem with a button, but I'm humbled. Now there is a problem with imessage. Warranty runs out in a few weeks, will have to go change a new if they do not have time to fix it.

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Answer 7

Jan 23, 2015 1:11 PM in response to mcfloyd49

I wonder whether there's a possibility, also, of doing some campaign (e.g. a Thunderclap to tweet some of them) to get prominent Apple bloggers to notice it and maybe raise the issue? Ideally Apple sorts it out first, but if not, some media pressure always helps!

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Answer 8

Jan 23, 2015 1:15 PM in response to lesh_k

Yeah it would be worth going in warranty; mine's now out of warranty but seeing as this is a replacement from November I will have to try going back to the store and seeing if they can do something about it (like surely must come with some sort of additional warranty if it's a fault that developed due to the replacement iPad)

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Answer 9

lesh_k

Level 1

0 points

Jan 23, 2015 1:55 PM in response to mintchocicecream

Also my replacement in November.

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Answer 10

Jan 24, 2015 2:17 PM in response to lesh_k

I Have developed the exact same issue and I have literally been pulling out my hair the past three days trying to sort it. My mac, iPhone and husbands iPad 2 have no issue whatsoever and they are all identically set up as is my iPad Air which is point blank refusing to connect via messages and FaceTime. I'm experiencing exactly the same response as Mint... describes every time I try. Ironically I bought my original iPad air in November 2013 and had it replaced in November 2014 when it dropped a few pixels... Beginning to sound a little too familiar??

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Answer 11

Jan 27, 2015 2:39 PM in response to mintchocicecream

Ooooooo fingers crossed that iOS 8.1.3 fixes this problem!!! "Fixes an issue that prevented some users from entering their Apple ID password for Messages and FaceTime".

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Answer 12

SergZak

Level 6

10,338 points

Jan 27, 2015 3:00 PM in response to mintchocicecream

This explains why the issue was never listed (for weeks or possibly longer, I believe) under Apple's System Status page here:

http://www.apple.com/support/systemstatus/

Looks like it indeed was an iOS issue...I hope it's fixed now for those that were affected (I was not).

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Answer 13

Jan 27, 2015 3:10 PM in response to SergZak

Unfortunately nope. iOS 8.1.3 does not fix it. 😟

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Answer 14

Demo

Level 10

166,500 points

Jan 27, 2015 3:11 PM in response to SergZak

I never had the problem either, but after looking around here tonight, the update wasn't all that successful for a number of people.

This his is one of the oddest bugs that I have ever seen. Not being able to sign in from the beginning is one thing, but the overwhelming majority of these folks had been using FaceTime and messages for months or years even and all of a sudden they are signed out and can't get back in again. That's really, really strange,

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Answer 15

SergZak

Level 6

10,338 points

Jan 27, 2015 3:30 PM in response to mintchocicecream

Still not fixed for all then...I don't know what to say except for another *obvious* bug was not fixed in 8.1.3 either, that is, the light keyboard used in apps like Notes still does not darken the keys when tapped, if you have the Increase Contrast/Reduce Transparency setting enabled. No, of course this has nothing at all to do with the iMessage/FaceTime issue that some are experiencing but I just thought I'd mention it since there are issues that have not yet been addressed/corrected, even though they are obvious and very easily reproducible. The trouble with the iMessage/FaceTime issue is that it seems it's almost random with who it's affecting and because of that, it makes it virtually impossible for those here that don't have the issue to be very helpful, except to post other links to other similar issues/topics. Maybe waiting the required time for sign-out/sign-in will help to resolve this issue.

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