Why is my Mac saying my Apple ID password is wrong

Your Apple ID unlocks your entire iUniverse… From your iPhone to iCloud, it controls email, contacts, Apple store purchases, iTunes, and more. Getting locked out can put a severe hamper on your digital freedoms.

Two main reasons you might have problems logging in are:

1. You forgot your password – usually because you haven’t used it in so long.

2. Your account has been compromised, and hacker(s) changed your password.

Either way, if you enter too many wrong guesses, you will see alerts that say:

• “This Apple ID has been disabled for security reasons.”
• “You can’t sign in because your account was disabled for security reasons.”
• “This Apple ID has been locked for security reasons.”

It is easier to change/recover your password BEFORE you get to this point by going to iforgot.apple.com, but that doesn’t mean you’re free to go. Keep in mind that “after you change your password, you might need to update it in your iCloud settings and in any Apple services that you sign in to with your Apple ID.”

HOW MANY GUESSES IS TOO MANY?

How many failed attempts users have before their account is locked? Apple’s official answer is “3 to 5,” although even that is not verified. The reason is for security, but of course, it’s a pain for people who are just trying to download some music from iTunes. If your Apple ID password is not working or you’ve forgotten it, never try to guess more than three times, or you could go to what we like to call “iJail.”

APPLE’S HARSH SENTENCING PRACTICES

If you get locked out and remember your password later, you can try logging in again after 8 hours. Otherwise, follow instructions for password recovery/reset found at iforgot.apple.com. But you’re not ready to pass “Go” just yet…

According to Apple, “After multiple unsuccessful attempts to unlock your account, your Apple ID will remain locked, and you can try the next day again.” In other words, you get to enjoy a 24-hour stint in Apple jail.

We’ve seen a client get locked out of their account for 20 days!

It gets complicated if you have trouble verifying your account during the password recovery process. In theory, as long as you have answers to your security questions or access to your primary or recovery emails, you should be ok, but not necessarily. Clients have experienced lockouts even while accessing their email and verifying identity on the phone with Apple support. In some cases, Apple incarcerated users behind virtual bars for up to 2 weeks!

Since hackers’ goals are primarily to disrupt and steal, Apple is essentially rewarding hackers by not allowing an immediate route for their paying customers to reactivate their accounts.

It sounds like you are seeing an incorrect password message when setting up iCloud on your iOS device. The following Knowledge Base article offers up some great recommendations:

If you see an "Incorrect Apple ID or Password" alert when you set up iCloud in the Setup Assistant

If you changed your Apple ID and didn't update it on your iOS device, you might see the "Incorrect Apple ID or Password" alert. Use these steps to sign in with your previous Apple ID:

1. Tap Skip This Step and complete the steps in the Setup Assistant.
2. Tap Settings > iCloud.
3. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. In iOS 7 or earlier, tap Delete Account.
4. Enter your previous Apple ID and password to confirm that you want to sign out. If your Apple ID and password aren't accepted, use these steps to sign out and set up iCloud.
5. After you sign out, you can sign in to iCloud with your current Apple ID.

Use these steps if you forgot your Apple ID password:

1. Tap Forgot Password?
2. Follow the onscreen instructions.

If, on the other hand, you are seeing iTunes for Windows prompts to authorize your computer, this article should help with those:

I am trying to log into itunes on my Mac. A pop-up comes up asking for my apple ID login. Each time I enter my (correct) password, it just asks again/doesn't accept the log in credentials. My iphone works just fine with my apple ID. I went to appleid.apple.com and tried to reset my password and log on there. It sent a verification code to my phone, I typed that in on the website, and again I can log in there too. I typed in the new password on the popup for itunes, but it still won't accept my login.

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MacBook, OS X 10.10

Posted on Jan 30, 2022 10:44 AM

Reply Me too (70) Me too Me too (70) Me too

Hey marsikfromkyiv,

Thank you for using the Apple Support Communities! We understand you're unable to log into iTunes on your Mac. We are happy to help.

You mentioned you need a verification code to complete sign in of your Apple ID account. This makes us think perhaps you're running an older version of software on your Mac that doesn't provide you with a separate space to enter a verification code to finish signing in. If that's the case, check out the section titled, 'What if I use two-factor authentication on a device running older software?' in this article: Two-factor authentication for Apple ID. When you get to the field to enter your Apple ID password, "type your password followed by the six-digit verification code directly into the password field." i.e. password123456 (no spaces).

If the above is not the scenario you're dealing with, these steps might help: If you can't connect to the App Store, iTunes Store, or other Apple services

Why is my Apple ID not accepting my password?

Why can't I log into my Apple ID on my Mac?