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I am trying to sign into my iCloud account in my MacBook Pro, but as I enter my username and password in System Preferences -> iCloud, I get the message that this account is already signed in. I can either cancel the process or get redirected to Internet Accounts. When I go Internet Accounts, I can neither find my account in the left bar nor add it as a new account. This is persistent in any app that requires my Apple ID. As I enter the username and password a message pops up that I am already signed in!

There is just one user account on my Mac. My OSx is up to date, currently Mojave 10.14.

I tried to contact the apple support too, but their solutions did not work. They suggested that I create a new user on my Mac and transfer everything there! Which is a bit hard, since I am going to lose my preferences that are optimised through the past years.

Can anyone give a better solution?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Oct 5, 2018 2:04 PM

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Posted on Oct 24, 2018 4:02 PM

I ran into this problem as well after being forced by a weird popup on iCloud.com into changing my Apple ID's primary email address. Bad idea. My iMac now wasn't logged in anymore, but it wasn't really logged out either. I deactivated and removed everything I could, to no avail.


Then I found this tip on a developer's blog and this did the trick for me.

Open the Terminal app

Type defaults delete MobileMeAccounts

Hit enter to execute this command. This will force macOS to sign you out of iCloud - now you should be able to log in from the iCloud pane in System Preferences.

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Question marked as Best reply

Oct 24, 2018 4:02 PM in response to Navid Asmari

I ran into this problem as well after being forced by a weird popup on iCloud.com into changing my Apple ID's primary email address. Bad idea. My iMac now wasn't logged in anymore, but it wasn't really logged out either. I deactivated and removed everything I could, to no avail.


Then I found this tip on a developer's blog and this did the trick for me.

Open the Terminal app

Type defaults delete MobileMeAccounts

Hit enter to execute this command. This will force macOS to sign you out of iCloud - now you should be able to log in from the iCloud pane in System Preferences.

Oct 5, 2018 10:18 PM in response to Navid Asmari

You had deleted both your mail account ( like gmail ) and iCloud account from the location system preferences - internet accounts when you try to add them ( click on plus sign ) they will not be added as they are configured with web server but not with Mac .

to set up these accounts see this method Method to sign out from iCloud account .

Even if you create a new test user account , the iCloud Keychain verification code will be required see this article How to test an issue in another user account on your Mac - Apple Support

See the manual method -

HOW TO SET UP A NEW TEST USER ACCOUNT


Create a new user account in users and groups by clicking on plus sign , name an account and enter its password .

Take cursor on apple logo and log out from your old user account and then enter the credentials name and password on the screen of your new user account .

( a )The window is showing data and privacy , click on continue and sign in with your Apple ID ( fill up the credentials ) and click on continue .

( b ) Again enter your Apple ID and password and click on continue .

( c ) A prompt will appear on the screen use two factor authentication ( its optional you can uncheck the box and click on continue ) .

( d ) A pop up window will appear do not upgrade Apple ID security and upgrade iCloud security , so click on do not upgrade .

( e ) A small circle will be rotating , setting up account will be shown , wait for a while and options will be shown would you like to set up iCloud Keychain ( 1 ) set up iCloud Keychain ( 2 ) set up later , you can click on set up later and click on continue .

( f ) A window will appear showing enable ask Siri , keep the box checked and click on continue .

( g ) Another window will appear all your files in iCloud stores files from documents and desktop in iCloud Drive , so check the box of it and click on continue .It will show setting up your Mac , three right check marks will be shown .

( h ) Open system preferences and click on accessibility > trackpad options , check the boxes of scrolling with inertia and enable dragging with three finger drag and click on ok ( as drag and drop feature always help a user in every way ) .

( I ) Again in the system preferences > click on I cloud you will see the box of keychain is unchecked , so check the box of it after a while a prompt will appear enter you Apple ID password to set up iCloud Keychain so fill up the password and click on ok .

( j ) Again a pop up window will appear to set up iCloud keychain on this Mac , request approval from one of your other devices using iCloud Keychain .( 1 ) use code ( 2 ) cancel ( 3 ) request approval , so click on use code .

( k ) Wait for a while , nothing will appear on the screen after that a window will appear enter your iCloud security code , so after entering it click on next .

( l) An sms will come to the trusted mobile so enter the code and click on ok and you will notice in front of keychain setting up and a small circle is rotating , the box of keychain will get checked .

( m) On the top right corner of the screen a small notification will appear google password required ( in your case it depends which sevices are being used yahoo , hotmail or other ) .

( n ) Enter your gmail password and click on next , finally iCloud Keychain is set up in the new user account you can open mail application and click on get mail icon all mails will start downloading from the server .

( o ) Open notes application and click on continue all notes data saved in iCloud and in all google will start downloading and it will take time to download ( high network speed is essential ) .

( p ) Then open calendar and click on continue , click on view and show calendar list .


If you want to transfer pictures , movies , music , downloads contents from the home folder of first user account to the second user account .

Open pictures and press command and info change the permissions to read only the folder pictures will be unlocked , them drag and drop the folder on the desktop automatically you can view the contents of pictures in the second user account .


Note : if your web mail account is configured with apple mail application , notes , calendars , contacts , photos are saved in iCloud and web server in the new user account they will definitely sync , you can create a new user account and don't delete the old user account and post back what're the results .

Oct 6, 2018 10:51 AM in response to Navid Asmari

Are you getting any indiction you are actually signed in such as data is syncing from another device?


The System Preferences .plist may be corrupt. You will need to reset your other preferences. again.


Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.


Quit System Preferences.


Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.


Restart the computer, open the application, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.


If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.


Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

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