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You are here: Home / Not working? / iOS: Stuck On Updating iCloud Settings, Fix

iOS: Stuck On Updating iCloud Settings, Fix

Last updated on April 15, 2017 By Serhat Kurt 52 Comments

Yesterday, I was trying update the iOS software on my iPad. Everything went smoothly. I went to Settings > General > Software Update > Download and Install. The download and then installation process began automatically. My device restarted and I was following the instructions in the setup assistant. I was asked to enter my Apple ID and passcode to sign in.

Then my screen started to show “Updating iCloud Settings” and was stuck there for more than an hour. This short article explains how I resolved this problem.

You may experience this issue when you attempt to setup, restore or update your iPhone or iPad.

Please note that if your device has a lot of photos, videos, documents etc, this iCloud set up process may take a while.

See also:

  • iPhone, iPad Activation Problems, Fix
  • Unable to Install Update: An error Occurred Installing…

FIXES: Updating iCloud Settings

updating iCloud settings frozen

Here are some fixes you may try if this process takes a long time.

Restart

The first thing you should do is to restart your device. To do that, press and hold the power button (Sleep/Wake) until you see the “slide to power off” slider. Slide the slider and wait a few seconds. Now press and hold the power button until the Apple logo appears.

If your device stuck again, this time skip the iCloud  setup process. When you are asked to set up iCloud, tap Skip. Once the update finishes, go to Settings > iCloud and enter your Apple ID to turn on iCloud.

Force Restart

You may try to force restart your device. Do not worry, you will not lose anything. Here is how:

  • iPhone 7: Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake (On/Off) and Volume Down buttons together until the Apple logo appears.
  • Other iOS devices: Press and hold both the Sleep/Wake (On/Off) and Home buttons simultaneously until you see the Apple logo.

Apple Servers

Apple servers may be busy or down. If this is the case, you will have trouble. But it is not you. These issues are temporary and Apple fix it.

Internet Connection

Make sure that you have an internet connection.

  • Make sure that your router is on and you are not too far away from it.

Use iTunes to Update

To do this you need to have a computer, Mac or Windows. Make sure that you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer. If not, update iTunes (iTunes > Help > Check for Updates). Here is how you can update your device’s software:

  • Plug your device to your computer using its USB cable.
  • Open iTunes
  • iTunes will see your device and select your device under the Devices menu.
  • Click “Check for Update” then “Download and Update”

See also: How To Sign In To iCloud.com From Your iPad Or iPhone

Filed Under: Not working? Tagged With: iCloud

Comments

  1. Buddah says

    March 7, 2018 at 11:32 am

    it starts from the beginning WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  2. filos says

    December 30, 2017 at 12:12 am

    it’s a bug…unless someone in here can really write the solution for this :
    after latest update ipad air stuck on apple ID login (verification failed : Apple ID or password not correct)
    -not possible to skip this step. I f I try doing so it restart from the same point…Apple login …
    -not possible to reset the device from Itunes : Itunes prompt that “find my iphone” is activated…
    Nice one eh?
    So all the tekky guys out there…if you ever encountered the same “criticality” please reply…before i throw away the apple’s product. Thanks

    Reply
    • Mandy says

      March 3, 2018 at 7:05 pm

      Did you fix this, stuck in a loop with this 🙁

      Reply
    • Patricia says

      March 7, 2018 at 12:52 pm

      Have you got any solution for this issue. I am at this same situation and have no idea how to fix it.

      Reply
  3. Rachael says

    December 28, 2017 at 4:29 pm

    Mine has been stuck on the updating iCloud settings for 3 days nearly. My friends took 2 days. It’s aerio frustrating but I think it’s becUse we have so many photos and apps.

    Reply
  4. Ricardo Barroso says

    November 29, 2017 at 4:15 pm

    I’ve done a “Force Restart” (pressed and holded both the “Sleep/Wake (On/Off)” and “Home” buttons simultaneously until the Apple logo appeared) and then the message continued appearing just for a while (maybe 2 or 3 minutes) and then disappeared.

    Reply
  5. Mark says

    October 28, 2017 at 5:30 pm

    Tom is right, simply skip the step where you are prompted for your password.

    Tap “skip this step”

    You will get into your phone and from there you can add it.

    Reply
  6. RE says

    October 13, 2017 at 4:14 am

    In my case it was my son’s iPad and the issue was that my router was blocking the communication. I discovered this when I had the idea to by pass the home wifi and connect the iPad to my iPhone through the Hotspot function – I could finally sign into iCloud and accept the terms.

    I noticed later than my router setting, which blocks access to adult sites to my son’s iPad was the issue. I removed the restrictions and everything worked fine…so it seems the router was the cause

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 21, 2017 at 11:23 pm

      This was the exact reason my children’s iPads were not authenticating with iCloud. I had spent all day troubleshooting why we couldn’t download any apps and once I removed the firewall adult site filters for their devices, everything started working. Thanks for posting this solution!

      Reply
  7. Spencer says

    October 9, 2017 at 3:28 pm

    I did the Force Reset as outlined above and that worked. I hate the iPhone. I only have it because my employer forces me to have one.

    Reply
  8. levy art says

    October 6, 2017 at 5:48 pm

    thank you so much your a genius it helped me alot i was worried for a while

    Reply
  9. Tom says

    October 6, 2017 at 1:47 pm

    When it prompts you to enter your apple ID, choose set up later instead of entering your password. Mine was also stuck on this screen and this worked for me. Just enter your apple ID password once you’re back into your phone. Hope this works for everyone

    Reply
    • Bob says

      November 22, 2017 at 12:25 am

      Thanks Tom! worked for me.

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        July 6, 2018 at 7:01 pm

        this worked for me too!

        Reply
  10. Elaine Golding says

    October 5, 2017 at 5:51 pm

    Phew! I think I have solved my problem at least. I used iTunes. Please orgive me if my instructions are not tecchie – but it worked.

    1. Shut down the new device by holding the On/ Off button until the slider appears: turn off the iPad
    2. Connect the lightning cable to the new device power up a laptop (I suppose this may work with any other device that runs your iTunes)
    3. Hold down the HOME button on the iPad and connect this device to the laptop.
    4. OPen iTunes: this should pick up your new iPad and recognise it needs to be restored. Release the HOME button once the iPad shows the iTunes instruction.
    5. Select Restore and Backup

    Reply
  11. Elaine Golding says

    October 5, 2017 at 4:51 pm

    I cannot believe what I am reading. Why hasn’t Apple sorted this out? Today I bought a new iPad I completed all the set-up details and waited – in eager anticipation – to start to restore. I am still waiting!! 8 hours now. Like you, my iPad just keeps saying ‘Press start to continue update to ios 11.02’.

    What is going on? I have tried everything suggested online about resets etc. to no avail. Is there any hope of getting the device operating this year?

    Reply
  12. crazy cat says

    October 3, 2017 at 6:39 am

    i have just downloaded the IOS 11 on my iPhone 6 and have began pressed skip this step when asked for my apple ID and ever since all its been saying ‘updating iCloud settings’ for the past 2 hours, why is this happening?

    Reply
  13. Sandy says

    September 22, 2017 at 5:40 pm

    I have a new iPad. During setting it up, when it got to updating iCloud settings, it has be stuck for 2 hours. I tried holding down on button with no success.

    Reply
  14. Sandra says

    September 22, 2017 at 5:40 pm

    I have a new iPad. During setting it up, when it got to updating iCloud settings, it has be stuck for 2 hours. I tried holding down on button with no success.

    Reply
  15. Sandy says

    September 22, 2017 at 5:34 pm

    I have new iPad. When I was setting up everything, and got to updating iCloud settings, it has been working for two hours. I tried holding down power button but nothing happened.

    Reply
    • Kym says

      December 16, 2017 at 5:08 am

      This is exactly what is happening to mine! It’s been since 8:50 and it’s now 12:07 and I can’t power off or skip anything!! Did you get passed this??

      Reply
  16. Travis Madden says

    September 21, 2017 at 8:47 pm

    My settings screen freezes and I can’t accept icloud terms or use any apple id features because it says authentication failed.
    I got lost because I can’t access the internet or maps.
    My messages just started working and sent me messages from 2016.
    I want to restore to backup older ios but can’t deactivate find my iphone. MASSIVE FAIL. Messing with my livelihood right now.

    Reply
  17. Naji says

    September 21, 2017 at 11:42 am

    my iPad is done updating.. it appears on the screen “press home to finish setting up ios 11.0″>>>”updated complete” message>>>”Enter the apple ID password for your email”. Either i enter my password or hit skip this step.. “Updating iCloud settings” message appear for seconds then I start from the beginning.. “press home to finish setting up ios 11.0” I have iPad air

    Reply
    • nasser says

      October 5, 2017 at 9:33 pm

      Hi Naji , i have thw same issue , did u find a solution ?

      Reply
      • tia says

        October 27, 2017 at 5:44 am

        did anyone find a solution to this bc I’m having the same prob

        Reply
    • Raj says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:30 am

      I have exactly the same issue, did you fix yours ?

      Reply
    • mueen bawa says

      January 10, 2018 at 10:21 am

      naji did u find solution. i am having same prob in iphone x. its comes back to hello screen and restore or update completed and then apple id passwrod and goes to update icloud settings and then return to hello screen

      Reply
    • Jon says

      January 24, 2018 at 11:00 am

      Can anybody tell what you ended up doing?

      I am facing the same problem now, and have tried both the hard restore, restoring through iTunes, making sure that I’m connected to the internet etc.

      Reply
  18. Simon Platten says

    September 20, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    I’ve never had any issues with updating iPhones until today, iOS11, it took a long time to update, then my phone powered down or seemed to be bricked because it didn’t power up.

    Eventually I managed to switch it back on, but now all I get it “updating icloud settings”, it takes forever and never ends. I’ve tried power cycling several times, but it just goes back to the same display.

    And seeing that this isn’t anything new makes me really angry, I’ve wasted an afternoon trying to get my iPhone 6s back to life. Given the size and resources of Apple, this is completely unacceptable, especially as they’re seems to be a long history going back years of the same problem.

    NOT IMPRESSED!!!

    Reply
  19. iDead says

    June 26, 2017 at 4:14 am

    I tried all of the above with an iphone 7.
    iTunes sees my phone and all the music downloaded to the phone again.
    Now back to white screen and “updating icloud settings”.
    Connected to v fast wifi with both notebook and iphone.
    This has been going on for over 12 hours now.

    Reply
    • Kay says

      September 20, 2017 at 9:29 pm

      Idead any luck? Mines been like that over 12 hrs

      Reply
      • Sandra says

        March 14, 2019 at 9:39 pm

        Mine is a new iPad Pro. When setting it up I chose iCloud and it has been updating iCloud settings for 2 days. I can’t even get the apple logo when I press and hold the power button! I am really frustrated!!!

        Reply
        • Sara says

          October 28, 2019 at 9:04 am

          Dear Sandra,

          Didn’t you lose all you data after updating?

          Reply
    • andy says

      September 27, 2017 at 8:29 pm

      same happen to me 36 hours now ….

      Reply
  20. Charles Schubert says

    April 23, 2017 at 5:55 pm

    The system logs into ICloud ok, then when I try to continue it asks for Apple ID to download purchases and fails to log in. I am logged in on ITunes without an issue. WTH?

    Reply
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