appleTV keeps asking for appleID, password and authentication code circularly

That's correct except many people have a long password and cannot complete the process in a timely fashion. (the two-factor code expires after 30 seconds). The method you mention often fails as it takes some users a long time to enter a pw on an AppleTV (using the remote) and the two-factor code is useless by the time you complete it.

You need to go to your iphone and get a fresh code after you type the password and before you put in the original code. Do this by....

(On iphone or ipad)

• go to settings, iCloud
• click on your iCloud ID at top of screen
• click on "Password & Security"
• click on "Get Verification code"

Then type this fresh code in, appending to the end of the password you already typed in, and it will work

Yea - we've got multiple apple products in more than one home, plus kids abroad also logging into our account - so this 'solution' did not work - at all - and the whole design / concept is terrible. I just spent an hour yesterday turning off the two-step authentication - going through all the various security questions etc, then re-logging the normal way back into everything. I highly suggest this. I was pleasantly surprised to lean that turning off the two-step authentication allowed me to keep my old password, which was just a minor form of convenience normally not afforded by Apple's security designers.

I also apologize as it's the second and third generation AppleTVs that need the "append the Validation Code" trick.

Once again, though, are you actually seeing a screen asking for the Validation Code rather than just the password?

You could also just turn off two factor authentication and then that would get you what you are asking for.

On the 3rd generation, Instead of selecting option to get verification code from trusted device, you can go to settings>iTunes store>Apple ID>sign out, then add new Apple ID and sign-in as normal then should be able to access your content (I.e. Movies &TV shows) also if you get error can't connect to iTunes during ANY of the sign-in process you need to reboot modem/router w/ Apple TV un plugged from power and keep unplugged until network is back online

Hi fancynancy2. If you mean "how do you turn off 2-factor authentication?", you can do it by logging in to appleid.apple.com, and change your Security settings. But, if you're using a recently-created icloud.com ID, that may not be possible.

You should be able to login without turning off 2FA, using the method already posted several times in this thread, for example, this link: Re: appleTV keeps asking for appleID, password and authentication code circularly.

Make sure your router is not blocking any apple.com URLs.

Try restarting (power off) both Apple TV and router.

And you will need the method I linked to handle the authorization code.

Have you been able to get logged in to this Apple TV, on this network, in the past, or is this all new?

And, once again, please enumerate exactly the steps you are taking, so I can visualize what might be happening.

Go to the AppleID page. https://appleid.apple.com/

Go the the second group of options for security.

Click edit, and turn off 2 factor authentication.

Youll set up 3 security questions in case you forget your password.

Done.

its less secure but it gives you the option you’re after.

Hi amf66. The code has a rather short timeout, 30 seconds maybe. Did you delay requesting the code until absolutely ready to enter it? It may help to use the Remote app on your phone for quicker typing.

Hi markfromst.albert. Have you tried the steps in the link I posted, link: Re: appleTV keeps asking for appleID, password and authentication code circularly. You need to do them in the exact order listed, so you have time to append the code to the already entered password.

I agree it is not an anti-consumer decision, however none of this has brought success to my 2G Apple TV. I can easily log in to the iTunes Store using the method of appending the 2FA code to the end of my password as well as iCloud the same way. This certainly suggests that 2FA is supported on a 2G Apple TV, as long as it has been updated to 6.2.1 as also seems to be the case with people who have had success in getting Home Sharing to work on 2G Apple TV's by appending the code.

As far as connecting to Home Sharing - that has been a complete no-go for me. I have Reset the Apple TV more than once and even changed my Apple ID password just to ensure everything was the same. So far nothing has brought joy with my 2G Apple TV. Extremely frustrating and disappointing that I now have a very limited use Apple TV.

I cannot understand why random Apple TV owners get things to work by appending the code to their password yet many others do not. One person in a thread I was reading has just said, "it does work," which does not help the many people for whom it absolutely does not work. Perhaps people should state that, "it should work."

I do understand the frustration of the poster who initially said "anti-consumer" because I am right there in frustration but disagree about it being an anti-consumer decision on Apple's part.

William Kucharski wrote:

Which is basically the procedure outlined here.

I understand you referencing the procedure you outlined and I followed your specific set of instructions more than once, but it brought no success for me. Perhaps that simply highlights why many people still struggle to get their Apple TV's working.

As I said though, for me, once I waited for my "trusted device" to pop up the alert that a connection was being attempted and subsequently, once it was allowed and provided an authentication code, then once I used that authentication code it worked for me.

Actually quite a bit, as the AppleTV 2nd Generation is on the Obsolete list and as such is no longer supported and is unlikely to ever receive a future software update.

I'm just happy Apple added support for 2FA at all as it wasn't widely used then.

Vintage and obsolete products - Apple Support

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.

Hi Trowa Barton. Good instructions. But you should be aware that, for Apple IDs (iCloud email accounts) created using iOS 10 or newer, 2FA cannot be disabled.