How to fix common iCloud problems for your iPhone (2024). Is iCloud not working? Here’s what to do when you can’t sign in to iCloud, see an iCloud error, or experience other common iCloud issues.
Want to access docs or images stored on iCloud on your iPhone but can’t? It is downright frustrating to share tax documents with your financial advisor or photos with your friends; whatever the case may be, if you can’t access your data on iCloud, it is downright frustrating! Don’t worry; this is one of the most common problems. Hence there are fixes. This guide talks about some common iCloud problems and how to fix them.
Anyone who has an Apple device probably uses iCloud as well. Apple’s cloud storage service makes it easy to sync photos, calendars, documents, emails, and more across all your Apple products. But if iCloud isn’t working, you might lose access to all that data!
We’ve put together a list of the most common iCloud problems from across the web and how to troubleshoot them. So whether you’ve got issues with iCloud not loading or you can’t sign in to iCloud from your iPhone, you can find out how to fix your problem below.
How to fix “Cannot Connect to iCloud”
The first step to take when your device cannot connect to iCloud is to check that Apple’s systems are all online. Go to Apple’s System Status website and make sure every iCloud-related service has a green circle next to it.
Different shapes in yellow or red mean Apple is experiencing problems with that service. If iCloud is currently unavailable, there’s nothing you can do but wait for Apple to fix the issue.
If iCloud is up and running, there may be new terms and conditions for you to agree to before you can connect to it again. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and tap your name at the top. A popup will prompt you to agree to new terms and conditions if there are any.
Failing that, you should sign out of iCloud on your iPhone or iPad, then sign in again. To do this:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name].
- Scroll down and tap Sign Out.
- If prompted, enter your Apple ID password to Turn Off Find My.
- Choose what data to keep on your device—anything you don’t keep is still saved to iCloud—then tap Sign Out.
- Return to Settings to sign in again using your Apple ID details.
How to fix “iCloud Doesn’t Sync Data Across Devices”
When it’s working, iCloud syncs everything without any effort from you. That means you can, for example, take a photo on one device and it will seamlessly sync to your other devices.
Unfortunately, iCloud doesn’t always work seamlessly. When that’s the case, these iCloud troubleshooting tips can fix it. Try them one by one:
- Shut down your device and wait a minute or so before restarting it.
- Try streaming a video on YouTube or similar to test your internet connection. If it’s slow, restart your router to see if that fixes it.
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] on each device and make sure you’re using the exact same Apple ID account. If not, sign in again with the correct details.
- Visit Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and turn on each of the services you want to sync.
After following these steps, make a change in an iCloud app (like Notes) to test whether it syncs to your other devices. Allow 10 minutes or so for iCloud to sync your data.
Third-Party Apps Don’t Save to iCloud
Some third-party apps save data to iCloud, allowing them to sync across all your Apple devices. They usually do this automatically, but if apps aren’t syncing how you expect them to, you might need to tweak the settings yourself.
Check the iCloud sync settings on each of your Apple devices by following these steps:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud.
- Scroll through the list and turn on the apps you want to sync over iCloud.
- If an app is missing from the list, contact the developer for more support.
You don’t need to enable every app in this list—only the ones you actually want to use with iCloud.
Your iCloud Settings Never Stop Updating
This persistent loading screen usually appears if you can’t sign in to iCloud on your iPhone or iPad, often during the setup of a new device.
You might also see a message saying iCloud Drive is loading if you’re trying to use the Files app. Or sometimes an alert says you’re Unable to sign in because of a problem communicating with iCloud. Wait at least five minutes before trying to fix it.
If you’re still stuck on the updating or loading iCloud screen after five minutes:
- Shut down your device and wait a minute or so before restarting it.
- If your device is unresponsive, follow the steps to force restart your iPhone or iPad.
- After restarting your device, open Settings and try signing in to iCloud if you aren’t already signed in. Then try using your iCloud apps again.
iPhone Keeps Asking For iCloud Password
Issue: The iPhone asks for an iCloud password every time you perform an action. It’s an old iCloud issue that occasionally resurfaces.
Signs/Reason: This issue could be due to a problem with your account settings or failed download:
Fix: Any of the following iCloud troubleshooting advice will help:
- Restart your iPhone:
Press the Power button and Volume up/down button to get the slide to power off the option to turn off your phone. Restart the phone using the Power button.
- Sign out and Sign In Apple ID account
: Go to Settings> Your Name> scroll down to get Sign out from your Apple ID account. Sign in again after a few minutes.
- Check System Status:
Go to Apple’s “System Status” website and ensure that iCloud is functioning properly.
- iForgot Website:
Log on to Apple’s “iForgot website” to change your Apple ID credentials.
- Restore & Backup
If nothing works, restore and back up your iPhone. To do so, follow the steps:
- Launch Settings>General>Reset
- Tap Reset All Settings
- Enter your password and tap Confirm
To Backup, follow these steps:
- Launch Settings> Apple ID> iCloud
- Scroll down to iCloud backup and tap on it
- Toggle on the iCloud backup option and click Back up Now
Now your iPhone will start backing up your data. It might take a few minutes.
You can also back up your iPhone to your PC or Mac. You can also erase all the settings and data from the iPhone to start afresh. To do so, Tap on Settings> General> Reset> Erase all Content and Settings.
Once all the content is erased, you need to set up your iPhone. Follow the on-screen instructions, and when the screen shows Apps and Data. Select Restore from iCloud Backup or Restore from Mac or PC.
iCloud Says You Have an Unsupported Device or Apple ID
You may have created an Apple ID under unusual circumstances, which can cause problems with iCloud. Typically, if an Apple ID works with Apple’s other services—like the App Store or iTunes—it shouldn’t have any issues with iCloud either.
Similarly, a problem with your device may cause iCloud to think it’s unsupported. Test your Apple ID account on another device (signing in to the iCloud website from a browser if needed) to find out if the problem is with your account or your device.
If your Apple ID doesn’t work with any of Apple’s services, or if no Apple ID works with your device, contact Apple Support directly. You may need to create a new account to resolve it.
You Ran Out of iCloud Storage
Apple gives everyone 5GB of iCloud storage for free, but that’s usually not enough to last for long. When you run out of iCloud storage, there are two ways to fix it: clear some space in your iCloud account or buy more iCloud storage.
If you want to create more free space, find out how to manage your iCloud storage and delete some of the content there.
Otherwise, follow these instructions to buy more iCloud storage:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage.
- Select Change Storage Plan.
- Select your storage upgrade option from the list and enter your Apple ID password to confirm the monthly subscription.
- Apple charges you immediately and the storage is available right away.
If you’re unable to upgrade or a message says your iCloud storage could not be upgraded at this time, check your Apple ID payment method by going to Settings > [Your Name] > Payment & Shipping.
How to fix “Verification Failed” When You Sign In or Out of iCloud
You might find you can’t sign in to iCloud on your iPhone or iPad because Verification Failed or because your account is unavailable. Sometimes, you can’t sign out of iCloud either for the same reason. This is often an issue with your internet connection or Apple ID login details.
There are a few ways to fix it:
- Shut down your device and wait a minute or so before restarting it.
- Try streaming a video on YouTube or another site to test your internet connection. If it’s slow, restart your router to see if that fixes it.
- Make sure your device’s date and time are correct by going to Settings > General > Date & Time. Turn on the option to Set Automatically if it’s not already.
- If you have another device using the same Apple ID, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security > Get Verification Code. You need to use this code to sign in if you use two-factor authentication with iCloud.
- Try using Wi-Fi instead of cellular data to log in to iCloud, or vice versa. To do this, open the Control Center and toggle Wi-Fi on or off.
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