Level 1

29 points

Can't approve Passwords and Keychain for iCloud for Windows

Beginning a few weeks ago, I was no longer able to use the iCloud Passwords extension for Edge on my main PC and a pop-up told me that I needed to enable Passwords in iCloud for Windows. Going in to iCloud for Windows, I found that Passwords and Keychain was off with an Approve... link underneath it. Clicking the link prompts a 2FA request on my iPhone and MacBook, which I authorized. I entered the code on my PC and it moved to the Signing In... screen, which then closed and there was no change to the Passwords and Keychain status. I've disabled VPNs and security software, and I've made sure that the PC is on the same network as my phone when doing the approval to no avail. iCloud for Windows is working just fine on my other PC and laptop. It's rather frustrating that there are no logs generated that end users have access to help diagnose the problem.

I've contacted Apple Support and they were supremely unhelpful as they told me to contact "Windows support" for help with this issue and then to come back to Apple with their results. I'm seeing that I'm not the only person having this problem. The PC in question is running Windows 10.

Posted on Mar 5, 2024 7:23 AM

Top-ranking reply

chewwy420

Level 1

34 points

Posted on Apr 15, 2024 5:42 AM

So I think I found a fix. At least for me anyways...

I had to have both my iPhone and Windows system on the same exact wifi/network. Having same external (internet) IP address.

I have 2 vlans and internet providers. One I use for work, one is personal. So when they reach out the internet they have different IP addresses. I moved the Windows system, to same VLAN as iPhone and it activated without an issue. Once activated I moved it back and has been fine since... Well until next update probably...

So my guess it it checks your connection to make sure someone is not trying to get your passwords by activating it on a remote pc.

Hope this helps some...

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45 replies

Yo-joey

Level 1

8 points

Nov 26, 2024 5:47 PM in response to profane77

Hope this helps. I tried everything to get the Apple password app to approve on windows 10. Nothing worked. After 3 weeks of trying everything I updated my Java to the latest version for windows 10. It worked right after the Java update. Apple support tried everything to help. They told me to update to windows 11 which I wasn’t ready to do that.

Dunc-TT

Level 1

7 points

Jan 19, 2025 12:01 AM in response to profane77

After much trial and error the fix for me was to sign out of icloud on my windows pc. Signing in again, the passwords app worked.

Sep 6, 2024 7:25 AM in response to profane77

The fix is this:

Connect your iPhone via Bluetooth to the PC and then try. It worked for me

Jan 4, 2025 7:40 AM in response to rayf1227

Thank you, I temporarily turned off both firewall and VPN then tried again with 2FA and voila! As above, hopefully this works till the next update.

Aug 24, 2024 9:12 AM in response to chewwy420

Totally worked! Never even thought about it, but I have the same setup because I work from home and didn't realize that one of my devices was on my work IP address. It worked. Thank you for the suggestion.

May 14, 2024 9:37 AM in response to chewwy420

This was what worked for me.

It seems that if iCloud detects that both devices (iPhone and Laptop) are on different networks, it won't allow the use of the passkey.

I got it to work when I finally connected them both to the seem WiFi Network.

Thanks for the solution!

May 8, 2024 3:09 PM in response to iUsmanRana

SOLVED.... Use your desktop to connect to web using YOUR wifi or Ethernet-cable network. Use your iphone/ipad/laptop to connect WIRELESSLY to your SAME wifi network. In desktop, click the key-icon on top right to enable the passwords. You will receive a code on your iphone/ipad/laptop. Enter code on desktop window that requested it. And voila.... they both become active..!

Nov 10, 2024 9:10 AM in response to profane77

I found a solution that worked for me, which I don't think is listed, but the ideas below helped to find this particularly combination.

Scenario:

Daughters only iOS device = iPad

Trying to get iCloud Windows to have iCloud Password set-up for her iCloud account

On attempted to "Approve" iCloud Password from it would loop through password and 2FA and then fail + iPad would not allow "iCloud Password & Keychain / Sync this ipad" to be turned on.

Solution:

Connected iPad to wifi via my Phones Hotspot (not home wifi network) and boom, it all just played nicely.

"Sync this iPad" this was able to be switched on, and everything else followed :-)

I appreciate this is just another combination to try t

BRIKZ

Level 1

8 points

Nov 19, 2024 3:45 AM in response to profane77

I had same issue today. I turned off VPN and after 2 confirmation codes; it worked. Hopefully, it stays connected.

Jun 30, 2024 9:42 PM in response to profane77

I encountered the same problem on 2024/7/1 and wasted most of my day trying to solve it. Based on my past experience of wasting a lot of time on it, in order to prevent iCloud for Windows from continuing to waste my life, I uninstalled all Apple software products on my Windows computer, leaving only Apple Music. Now the world has become much cleaner!

marioja

Level 1

12 points

Dec 14, 2024 5:46 PM in response to chewwy420

This is exactly the issue. The IP address from the iphone doing the verification and the IP address of the windows computer running icloud seem to be the same. I don't know why because the verification from apple to generate a 6 digit code is pretty secure, why does it have to be on the same network to be successful. A lot of those smart phones are often connect to LTE and this could cause the error. This is the criticism I have for Apple because the diagnostic could tell you what is going on as obviously it does know!

Mar 27, 2024 7:49 AM in response to profane77

Same issue.. Disabling Bluetooth doesn't help... It fixed itself a few weeks ago but now it is back and I cannot access... IT is not windows, it is a iCloud sync issue... We need a fix her Apple Support...

May 8, 2024 3:09 PM in response to profane77

profane77 Author

Level 1

29 points

May 14, 2024 1:48 PM in response to profane77

Unfortunately, none of the suggested fixes worked for me, but I'm glad that they proved useful for other people. I wound up getting a new computer issued to me, and I was able to approve Passwords & Keychain for that computer with no problem. My phone and the computer were not on the same network, so I don't think that was the issue in my case.

Sep 6, 2024 10:35 PM in response to EmotionIce

That did NOT work for me! 😒

I agree that seems to be an Apple problem communicating between iCloud for Windows and iCloud itself or my device (iPhone SE with IOS 17.6.1). I had my iPad (also 17.6.1) turned off. it was about the same time I upgraded that I experienced this issue - ie facing "Approve.... " against "Passwords and Keychain on the iCloud" for Windows screen'

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Can't approve Passwords and Keychain for iCloud for Windows