Probably one of the most confusing and counterintuitive things that happens on my Macs takes place when I use my browser (Safari) to log into iCloud.com.
It seems that the login is asking for my Apple ID and password. Auto-filling the Apple ID address, the box to enter the password pops up. When I use my Apple ID password my request to access iCloud.com is rejected.
However, when I use my computers system username and password – as if I was logging in to my computer – I am granted access to iCloud.com.
This has been going on for quite some time. I just recently (within the last couple of months) figured out I need to use my computer’s user account and passcode.
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Charles
If you log on to iCloud.com in Safari on your Mac, and you are already logged into iCloud on your Mac, you get the message:
"Do you want to sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID ***."
Then you click Continue with Password.
The next question asks:
"Enter the password for the user *** to continue."
This is asking for you user account password to unlock your keychain and use it to log in to iCloud.
Yes, this is asking for your user account, not your Apple ID. That's right. So now that you know that, just remember to use your user account password, not your Apple ID password.
This makes it much easier to log in to iCloud.com in a situation where you are already logged into your iCloud account on a Mac. Of course on a Mac with Touch ID, which is becoming more and more the majority, you can do it with Touch ID and not enter a password at all.
Thank you for the answer.
And sorry for the delay with this response - the notification was swept into junk and I just came across it.
This is very helpful.