For many customers, iOS 16.3 was an incidental improve, bringing vital safety updates and fixes together with just a few new options, together with help for safety keys for Apple IDs. However some customers are reporting an issue connecting to their iCloud Drive and Backup—and the issue seems to be associated to two-factor authentication.

Apple hasn’t formally responded to the difficulty, however just a few Apple Help Group posts and different on-line boards define the issue. After upgrading to iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3, a number of customers are seeing an “Unknown Error” message when attempting to again as much as iCloud or sync with iCloud Drive. Based on the submit, the toggles for every characteristic had been shut off and attempting to show them again on resulted within the pop-up error message. 

There seems to be a repair, nonetheless. Almost the entire affected customers have two-factor authentication turned off on their iCloud account and turning it on solved the issue. Apple requires 2FA for some Apple ID options, together with Apple Pay and Register with Apple, however beforehand allowed Backup and Drive entry with out turning on the additional layer of safety.

The change may very well be associated to Superior Knowledge Safety, which arrived within the U.S. with iOS 16.2 and expanded to the remainder of the world with iOS 16.3. The brand new security measures allow end-to-end encryption for iCloud Drive and backups and require a Restoration Contact or Restoration Key arrange in your account. It’s attainable that Apple has additionally added a two-factor authentication requirement as properly.

Be taught extra about 2FA and the right way to use it to safe all of your accounts in our 2FA information.