For reasons best known only to Apple, you may from time to time or even frequently see a message that says:
Update Apple ID Settings. Some account services require you to sign in again.
Macworld editor Karen Haslam offers comprehensive troubleshooting for this problem, with an update in January 2022 causing crowds of people viewing messages during an outage to Apple’s iCloud servers.
However, beyond fixing the problem identified by Apple, readers ask if the message is legit because it looks exactly like the phishing message they were warned about for years. The prompt often appears in the middle of another activity and displays a message asking you to enter your password!
This is intentional on Apple’s part, but you can be sure what you’re seeing is a message from Apple with a few tests:
- In iOS/iPadOS, do you see this in an app other than Safari or Mail (or any other browser or email app)? Since HTML can be used to mock the general appearance of iOS/iPadOS dialogs, I would exercise skepticism.
- In macOS, are you seeing this outside the notification area? When you hide and show notifications, do they appear again?
For the highest level of verification, open Adjustment , Your name , iCloud iOS/iPadOS or . In system Preferences , Apple ID or click iCloud macOS 10.15 Catalina or later. (10.14 Mojave or earlier, go to system Preferences , iCloud,
You should see a line item with similar text, such as “Update Apple ID settings,” or a pop-up message in any of those places. If so, re-enter your Apple ID password.
This Mac 911 article is in response to a question posed by Macworld reader Nathan.
ask mac 911
We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most often, along with their answers and links to columns: Read our Super FAQ to see if your question has been covered. If not, we are always looking for new problems to solve! Email your email to [email protected], including the appropriate screen captures and whether you would like to use your full name. Not every question will be answered, we do not answer emails, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.
