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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

Best reply

Demo

Level 10

166,501 points

Posted on Jan 20, 2015 1:21 PM

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.

View in context

55 replies

Jan 27, 2015 6:52 PM in response to mintchocicecream

It did not fix the problem with my IPad. I bought mine in October 2013 and had to have it replaced in October of 2014 just before the warranty expired Because the speaker went out. Now I'm having this problem with IMessage and FaceTime. My 90 day warranty is out on the replacement and they refuse to admit that there is a problem.

nycjls15

Level 1

11 points

Jan 27, 2015 7:44 PM in response to mintchocicecream

Apple JUST released iOS 8.1.3 today, and it looks to specifically address these authentication issues. I wasn't having the issues previously, so don't have first-hand experience, but hope it helps. Try Settings >General>Software Update

Detail on the update at: http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/27/7922483/apple-releases-ios-8-1-3-less-free-spa ce-needed

Jan 28, 2015 7:23 AM in response to nycjls15

I Have tried ..

Resetting networks

Resetting facetime/imessage and renabling or should I say can't enable again

General reset of settings

Total scrub and reset with same login

Total scrub and reset with another iCloud redundant account I have

Total scrub and reset with a brand new account without ties to any of the above

And I too got rather excited at the new update this morning but nope ..still nothing!!😠

Got a Genius Bar app for friday as this iPad Air is in its final two weeks of warranty .. I won't hold my breath

poor show apple!

becksyd

Level 1

0 points

Jan 28, 2015 9:54 AM in response to femfrankie

I also had a replacement ipad in october - and have the same issue - which began on friday. I cannot log in to my iMessage or Facetime on my iPad, but my iPhone is still functioning fine ( with the same apple ID)

Please post as to what they say at the genious bar to see if I can fix mine. If not it's a 50 mile round trip to the apple store!

Jan 28, 2015 11:09 AM in response to becksyd

II'm supposed to get a callback from a senior tech this afternoon. At first she said sh wasn't aware of the problem, then she checked further and said they were working on it trying to figure out what was going on. She tried several things on the phone with me and decided that it was not my device, but a software problem.

Jan 28, 2015 11:56 AM in response to annie1971

Last night I went through web chat again, who escalated it to a telephone call this evening and in turn, got escalated to senior tech too. In my error description I gave a reference number to this discussion thread so they know exactly what people are experiencing.

Senior tech said that Apple engineers are now aware of an iMessage issue and they took down my details and my iCloud account details (i.e. all the email addresses attached to my iCloud account) and will pass it onto the engineers. They said they're aware of an iMessage issue over the week specifically affecting iPads and expects it to be resolved by the weekend, but if not, gave me a reference number and said I could call Apple again on the usual number.

I originally had a Genius Bar appointment for tomorrow (exactly 3 months after my iPad was replaced and approximately just over a week since I noticed the problem began) but have now cancelled that appointment with Apple's knowledge.

I get the impression Apple support is aware and definitely trying to help – and passed it onto Apple engineering to address. So fingers crossed it's fixed by the end of this week.

SergZak

Level 6

10,344 points

Jan 28, 2015 12:08 PM in response to mintchocicecream

Going just by the posts here in this thread (not looking at the others) and by what you've indicated, it seems that the issue affects those that have a replacement device...I could be wrong but that's sure what it seems like. This may explain why it's affecting some and not others.

Jan 28, 2015 12:28 PM in response to SergZak

Yes, mine was a replacement device in November, and my issue has been going on for 10 days now. Do have a personal Apple tech on the case now after several calls to apple support And my original post continues to report the issue.

imessage and Facetime sign in activation error iPad ios8.1.2

Jan 28, 2015 1:42 PM in response to mintchocicecream

My iPad Air is a replacement, also. It was 3 months January 11. I talked to a senior tech today and finally they realize there is a problem. One thing that I have noticed is that when I set the time to automatic, it just searches for a time zone. I have yo set it to my time zone myself. I don't remember if it was always that way. But some things I have read refer to this as a possible problem. I'm not sure why. My tech is supposed to call back Saturday unless something comes up sooner.

Jan 28, 2015 1:55 PM in response to mintchocicecream

I also have this message on my iPad air when I try and logon to either iMessage or face time first occurred on Monday Eve 26th of Jan .i have also tried everything to resolve reset my device followed all the instructions to resolve nothing has worked I did notice that the lastet iOS update 8.1.3 would cure this issue . It hasn't 😕 . My iPad was purchased Dec '13 and was replaced in Nov '14 due to screen burn . I don't follow the theory that this has affected the replacement units but it does seem a coincidence . I have been using iMessage face time for over a year never had an issue up until know !

SergZak

Level 6

10,344 points

Jan 28, 2015 2:07 PM in response to timfromhayes

timfromhayes wrote:

I don't follow the theory that this has affected the replacement units but it does seem a coincidence . I have been using iMessage face time for over a year never had an issue up until know !

It may be that the iMessage is reverting back (for some odd reason) to thinking your old device is in fact still valid and preventing the replacement/new device from accessing iMessage/FaceTime as it used to. This could also be UUID related...just thinking aloud here.

Jan 28, 2015 2:16 PM in response to SergZak

I wonder if anybody has reset the device and created another Apple id and used that account instead to see if that resolves the activation issue

Jan 28, 2015 2:18 PM in response to timfromhayes

I Have tried using another Apple ID. The Senior tech set it up for me on the phone today, but it wouldn't work either.

Jan 28, 2015 2:19 PM in response to SergZak

I agree with this, seems like a common theme are people who have iPads replaced by Apple, it's as if something hasn't quite transferred / erased properly.

Jan 28, 2015 2:20 PM in response to timfromhayes

I have tried another Apple ID too (complete new Apple account, see point 3.1 in my original post) which confirmed to me that it was not a problem with my iCloud account.

I am coming to the view it's something about a certain batch of replacement iPad Air which has gone wrong, but hopefully something Apple can fix on their end...

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