appleTV keeps asking for appleID, password and authentication code circularly

Thanks for the tip it’s really helpful following your instructions. I’m finally connected to the tv box instead of having to use Apple iPad to mirror to tv screen and means I can be watching whilst using iPad or putting it in charge.

I know irritating especially as other apps get you to enter email and then it opens a different box to enter verification code that’s either sent to your email or txt msg to your phone. I’ve sent feedback from link given in this page and said for 2020 Apple have really dropped the ball on this! With covid and more time at home this is not something you want to mess about with. It stresses you out and then you take ages unwinding so don’t enjoy the show no or film so your escapism time is ruined by something that apple could easily rectify. Apple used to be pioneers now they are chasing their tale playing catch up.

I sent feedback through the link you provided thanks for that now let’s hope Apple finally get their act together once pioneers they are chasing their tale on the tv aspect which is a shame really cos if they made it simpler like other do I’d watch the shows more often.

Hi Guys,

I know this is a really late response, but I too have been tearing my hair out on this one.

I have an Apple TV Gen 1. It is brilliant, but owing to difficulties with our internet, we had not used it for ages. I now have very fast and unlimited 4G and thought I would resurrect the device. It is updated etc etc and passes its own diagnostics. However, it WILL NOT, under any circumstances sign in. I have had over an hour on the phone with Apple, who concluded by telling me it was probably a hardware fault as the device was so old. However, I don't think so.

I've done all the business with the password + code and been sensitive over the timings, as per earlier posts in this article, but to no avail.

I then concluded that it is because my account has 2fa set up. I cannot switch this off on any of my devices. Undaunted, I thought I would set up a new Apple ID on a new device (spare iPhone, previously wiped) and try that. I find to my horror that even a new Apple ID comes with 2fa from the start, no option!

So, 2 questions please for Apple themselves and for the wider community here:

Can 2fa be in any way suspended for long enough to allow my old Gen 1 ATV to sign in to my account please?

If not, what fix/patch or otherwise is or can be applied to the Gen 1 ATV to make it function again please?

If the answer to these questions is "no" and "none" respectively, then I think Apple should refund me the price of the new ATV DH that I have since purchased. They have rendered their excellent piece of kit obsolete by this apparently know incompatibility and I think it is terrible!

Any help any of you can provide on this would be much appreciated, thank you.

Sorry William, but that is not the case. For the Apple TV Gen 1, which does not support 2fa, the process of inputting the password and verification code makes no difference. As per my own post, I have tried all combinations of imputing password plus code and ensuring that I do so within the time allowed, but to no avail. The ATV continually tells me that my ID or password has not been recognised.

Apple told me this was down to a hardware fault in the device. I don't believe this to be true. It behaves identically on either Wi-Fi or ethernet, so both network adaptors would need to be at fault for this to be true and in any event, the device passes its own diagnostics, as stated in my post.

I say again, this appears to be a direct casualty of Apple's now mandating that we have 2fa, whether we like it or not and with no provision for older devices not compatible with that. I think that is the fundamental issue here: the fact that ATV1 was designed without allowance for 2fa and is effectively incompatible with it.

Is there another way around this please (as per my two questions above)? Because the stated remedy of using your Apple ID password plus a verification code is simply not a solution - it doesn't work.

I'd really like to get my old ATV working on my Apple ID. Surely all it takes is some sort of OS update for it that can allow this? I know there can't be very few of these devices still working, but Apple has a duty of care to owners not to render them obsolete.

Thanks for any help anyone can give in moving this forward for me.

Thanks to the thanks to many posters who motivated me to try yet again!

I stopped using my ATV2 three years ago and came back to this problem only because I wanted to use screen mirroring my indoor cycling app.

First, my exasperation at Apple for not fixing this problem which is solely a (30 second 2FA) timing issue as described.

Second, I spent an hour with Apple Support a week ago - who really didn't appear to know about this problem - as a result the rep and I couldn't succeed in getting the 2FA adjusted "password" - i.e. appending the 6 digit 2FA ("XXXXXX") without any spaces to your Apple ID password - which you get from your Apple device (Apple ID/Password & Security/Get Verification Code).

Timing is everything. My ATV2 works like a charm again. Apple should think different about fixing this 'bug' in software version 6.2.1. which the rep told me was no longer supported.

OK but Apple has lost an otherwise loyal customer from this; really not impressed. What would it take to extended 2FA to sixty seconds on older devices ?

Glad u got ur app tv box up n running again. I agree with you I won’t invest in an upgrade and when my 3rd generation box becomes defunct and no longer works I too won’t look to Apple for an upgrade I’ll do what many others are doing and use an alternative.

It’s a shame because Apple products have always been high quality but when it comes to suggestions they don’t even listen to the customer and that’s probably going to be the downfall as more loyal customers will start to look elsewhere for simple more user friendly products to work hand in hand with their selection of gadgets.

Thank you @ConsairVelo!! This was VERY HELPFUL! I tried at least a dozen times last night :-(! It is SO STUPID that Apple cannot give a message that the code needs to be entered within 30 secs! How stupid can these folks be when they claim to be a company that focuses on User Experience :-)!

Because when they added this to the firmware of that generation AppleTV (2FA wasn't widely used then), it was already beyond its end of support date.

They could have just done nothing, but instead they did this.

Everyday I sign in with a password I set the day before. It always tells me that password is incorrect. When I change it, the same thing happens again as if it never registered but I know it did. What causes this. This happened on my husband’s phone and he is locked out of his and Apple support could not help me unlock it. Actually there are two problems here.

older Apple TV’s are a nightmare. This feels like a sick game to drive you mad until you buy a new device. After I cracked the code on getting logged back in, it started logging me out and having issues while in the middle of streaming content from their own service. So sad to watch a great brand fall apart.

That’s good to know but I must I’m sure like many Apple consumers query why they choose to end after care service? I would have thought Apple of all brands would try to retain customer loyalty and offer unlimited customer support even with older versions of products.

yes it business viability, though surely, when weighed against the sales and purchases from both new and existing customer base acquisition, Apple would prefer to continue to rise above its competitors and, a way to stand out from the crowd; just as it has done in the past, it’s objectives would strive to excel in after care service and unlike its competitors keep all models of products as up to date a possible as the loyalty from long term customer base would influence new customers having heard that this brand is exceptional when it comes to after care service, and that would outweigh the nominal expense Apple incurred keeping all product models up to date and user friendly.

[Edited by Moderator]

It would be helpful if Apple submitted snapshots alongside instruction to show customers of older version products how they can still access the Apple TV provision using the patch up they have invoked that way customers would have a visual idea of what steps to take and become less frustrated.

Thanks - frustrating is not the word.... I’ve been trying for two days to get ATV working 🤬 I have gone online to look at all the alleged fixes and cannot get any of them to work. Please, please Apple...get this sorted.....🙏

Unfortunately, as William Kurcharski pointed out:

‘Because when they added this to the firmware of that generation AppleTV (2FA wasn't widely used then), it was already beyond its end of support date.

They could have just done nothing, but instead they did this.’

it’s unlikely that Apple will help older Apple TV models and, when it comes to after care service, it seems that Apple; though they kindly did this patch up provision, are choosing not to put together a webpage in their website containing screen shots along with instructions to further assist customers with the older models (including myself who only owns an ATV version 3 box).

i too submitted suggestions even asking if they could somehow create a second window to enter the code at the end of the password (especially because of the 30 second time limitation) but that landed in death ears too just as the additional screenshot instructions page will. Alas, the Apple organisation from the days of Steve Jobs (RIP) standards of customer Carr and service have long passed and now like Microsoft et al. It’s more focused on short term financial gain and loyalty has no meaning in its its corporate goals. A sign of the time I’m afraid.