Verification failed : There was an error connecting to apple id server

The answer for me was that after restoring a backup I was no longer signed into my wifi network. So it was failing to connect to the Apple ID server because it didn't have a network connection.

This is a terrifically lousy error message for that case. How about "no network connection present".

Disabling wi-fi worked for me. I had tried it at home and at my work, so it wasn't the network. Why did this work? Who knows.... I had also disabled two-factor authentication earlier. That alone did not work, the combination did, but I never tried disabling wi-fi before, so if disabling wi-fi alone doesn't work, try also disabling 2 factor authentication too. Stupid Apple ID nonsense...I hate this crap!!! Odd things like this happen all the time with it. THANKS!!!

My experience is similar, lousy error. Was simply not connected to wifi when I expected I was. Can be many reasons for not being connected but the error doesnt tell you its a physical connection issue. Make 100% certain you are connected.

I managed to work out why mine was doing this...

I worked out that as my laptop had done the whole new startup routine, the internet connection was forgotten or lost, so skip the login step even if it asks the 'are you sure' question, skip it... then connect to the internet and sign in without the annoying 'error' message

xx ellie

I know I am a little late to post on here, but I would love to help someone in the future... like me I just recently went through this problem and within hours and hours of researching; I found out the date and time were stuck to December of last year and the time was completely wrong. My phone turned automatic time off, I am guessing because I had the phone off for so long. That and I had put a new Sim Card in. So yeah its very important to make sure you have the date and time on Automatic under settings / General/ Date & Time/ Set Automatically... It saved my life lol 🙂

I had a problem that my Wifi is disabled and I couldn't turn off "Find my phone" over mobile internet.

After searching for several hours I noticed that I hadn't allowed to use Find my phone over mobile internet. After I allowed it (it is located in Settings: Mobile Data or in States it is called as Carrier), then I could finally turn Find my phone off.

And now I can restore my phone from backup.

This does not help; I do not have "settings," I have "preferences", however, there is no apple ID at the top, I cannot even sign in. If I log into my laptop under another user ID, I can get into the Itunes store. I have uninstalled and reinstalled Itunes several times; I have done system restores to revert to an earlier time.....does not work! I cannot buy any new music until I can get this to work.

Question...Do you know your Apple ID password.

If so, go to icloud.com and sign in there..go to FMIP App and select the device you are tring to restore..

You can erase it from this location ..then, afterwards, select remove from account..that does both erases the device then removes it from FMIP(Find My iPhone) also.

First, I do not have an Iphone. Second, I am strictly doing this from my PC. I am able to to to ITunes Store when I am logged in under another user; but not as my administrator user; this started acting up when I upgraded to the latest version. I have done a system restore 3 times, I have ran diagnostics, I have uninstalled and reinstalled ITunes several times. This is very frustrating as you'd think my main administrative account should be able to log in vs. a plain standard user on my PC (not MAC). So, no, your advice unfortunately does not help; but, thanks.

I was able to resolve it this way:

1. Log out

Since I could not log in and could not even turn off iCloud services because it would still ask me for password and each verification would fail, the only way to log out is to go to Settings > iTunes & App Store then click on you id and Sign out.

2. Change time manually.

Signing back in would not work, for any id, it seemed very strange. Some websites would open, but not https. So I figured that some fundamental is going on, and decided to check the data and time.

So it failed to get time automatically and was set to 1969 and time zone to Cupertino. I had to turn it to manual and set date, time and time zone by hand. It mean a lot of scrolling.

3. Sign in.

Once time was set (you need to be within 1-2 minutes) you can log in. It was slow but worked.

I don't think you read my post. I do not use Icloud, I strickley access Itunes store from my windows PC; windows 7. I have been researching this issue for weeks now, reading many posts trying many thing, Contacted Apple and Kaspersky; Apple is no help whatsoever, they don't care.....Kaspersky determined it wasn't their software interfering since I uninstalled it. I can get to it under a standard user account, ,but no under my own which is administrative. Guess I won't be able to buy any music from Apple, will have to use alternate methods of getting my music. I GIVE UP!

I have this same issue. Its frustrating because i know im entering the correct username and password as its always worked before. Not it doesn't

What symptoms are you seeing? Is it claiming that user or password is incorrect? If so, try restarting the phone - that's resolved it for some people.

If that doesn't help, I suggest calling Apple support. There are some odd issues between IOS9 and iCloud, not yet fully resolved.

As an alternative, although Apple doesn't support it and we can't discuss details here, if you Google downgrading to IOS8, restore your backup, then backup to iTunes and do the update to IOS9 through iTunes

My sister had this issue and we figured it out together, it may work for you.

1. In Settings go to your App & iTunes preferences (even if you're just trying to use iCloud).
2. Click on your Apple ID at the top.
3. A popup will allow you to sign out, do that.
4. Sign back in.

Let me know if this works for anybody else.