How to Fix It: iPad Asking for iCloud Password

How to deal with those annoying repeated password requests

By
Daniel Nations
Daniel Nations
Daniel Nations
Writer
  • University of Texas at Arlington
Daniel Nations has been a tech journalist since 1994. His work has appeared in Computer Currents, The Examiner, and other publications. He is a developer who has published apps in the Apple App Store, Google Play marketplace and Amazon Appstore; he also has worked as a data analyst and DB administrator.
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Updated on April 26, 2021

When your iCloud account experiences problems, it may not sync properly with Apple's cloud services, which means important data might not be backed up. If your iPad keeps asking for your iCloud password, it's important to troubleshoot the problem rather than ignore it. When you sign in to iCloud, you sign in using your Apple ID email address and password.

These instructions apply to all currently supported versions of iPadOS and iOS.

How to Fix an iPad Asking for iCloud Password

When your iPad repeatedly asks for your iCloud password, follow these steps in the order presented to fix the problem:

  1. Confirm that iCloud is up by checking the Apple System Status Page, specifically the iCloud Account & Sign In item. It should have a green dot next to it. If it has a red triangle, the service is experiencing problems with account sign in. Try again later.

  2. Restart the iPad. This is a simple task that solves many problems. Restarting a device wipes its temporary memory clean and gives it a fresh start.

  3. If you are on iCloud, select your name at the top of the screen. Choose Sign Out in the drop-down menu and then log back on.

  4. Sign out of iCloud and then sign back in. If you are on your iPad, select Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out (or Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Sign Out in older iOS versions).

    Before signing out, the iPad asks if you want to keep the information on your iPad or delete it. Choose to keep the information on your iPad. It may take a few seconds to sign out of iCloud. When it is finished, the iCloud settings screen reverts to a sign-in screen. You can now sign back in to the account.

    This process should correct the problem, but if you are still prompted to sign in to iCloud repeatedly, go through these steps again and delete the information from the iPad rather than keep it. The information is still stored in the cloud and is restored when your sign back in to iCloud.

  5. If you're still repeatedly asked to sign in to iCloud, consult Apple tech support or make an appointment at an Apple Store Genius Bar.

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