iPad "Maximum number of free accounts" when signing into iCloud

[DVG]

We are on our 3rd year of rotation on our devices, they have been signed out of iCloud by each user when turned in, so no account is associated with the device. Each device has been reset, then put into Recovery mode and refreshed through Apple Configurator. The user can sign into the App Store with their Apple ID, but when attempting to sign into iCloud on the device, this message is displayed.

Thanks in advance...

[brandonusher]

This happened to us a while ago as well. Turns out it was because the Apple ID had never been signed into and gotten it's free 5 GB of iCloud Storage. An iPad can only give I think 3 rounds of 5 GB of storage.

To fix this, you have to find a new iPad and sign in with the Apple ID in question. That was the only fix we could find at least.

[Jookyseacap]

That is correct, there are a maximum number of free iCloud accounts that can be created on an iPad. I also believe that number is three. There may be a way to contact Apple to have that reset, but I haven't tried that myself. The workaround I've used is to sign into itunes on a computer and accept all the T&C's there, which should finish the creation of the AppleID and then allow you to sign into iCloud with that same account on the iPad.

[mjsanders]

I am not sure what you mean; -you can create an AppleID for any valid email address you already own, and have 5 GB of free storage (and iCloud syncing, find my mac, etc) for each email address.
-There is a limit of 3 accounts you can create WITH @ICLOUD.COM email address (and 5Gb of free storage) per device.

[DVG]

To clear up/add detail:

The Apple ID was created in iTunes on a desktop, we're just attempting to sign in to iCloud on the iPad that was issued to the student. The student can go to iCloud.com and sign in with their Apple ID without issue, and we are using our own email (@joplinschools.org), not @iCloud.com addresses. I can manage the Apple ID without issue, I just can't sign into iCloud on a particular iPad with the Apple ID. I get the T&C, agree, agree popup, then the Max # accounts error after short attempt at verifying.

I did sign in to iTunes and verify the account could access the store, as well as attempt to sign in on another separate iPad. I still see the error, unfortunately.

[brandonusher]

@DVG That's what we're saying. At least 3 devices have signed in and claimed the iCloud 5GB storage. When you create an Apple ID in iTunes on a Desktop or even on an iPad, until it is used at least once to sign in to iCloud on an Apple device (Mac/iPod/iPhone/iPad) it does not have 5GB of storage on iCloud.

Every device is allowed to give out a total of 15GB of iCloud storage. That means 3 Apple ID's that have never signed in with iCloud before, therefore do not have the 5GB of storage, will get 5GB allocated to it.

If an Apple ID has been given the 5GB already, then you can sign in perfectly fine without issue.

Once a device has used up the entire 15GB of iCloud storage it's allotted, you can no longer sign in on the device with a brand new Apple ID and get 5GB of storage. You will have to use a different device to do so.

[DVG]

*copy--I'll try & locate a fresh one & test.