"Verification failed" while setting up new iPhone

[Jonweb1]

I’m trying to set up a newly purchased iPhone 16 via my iPhone 12 which initially works, but when entering the password (for the apple account) correctly, the new iPad keeps giving “Verification failed: there was an error connecting to the Apple server”. This happens during the setup stage itself. So none of the online suggestions about setting time or making changes in "Settings" apply here. 

At that point the setup is stuck as it doesn't move forward to downloading anything from icloud or transferring from my phone.

The password is correct, and I even changed and tried again.

The online suggestions are all for *working* devices. Can someone point me to recommendations for new devices (ipad) being setup, suffering this error?

Many thanks. 

[caesarome]

Have you tried looking around the Apple site for help:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/118446

[AMEE1]

Did you get a resolution for this issue? 

[littlelol07]

I'm having the same issue. Can I ask what worked for you? Have looked on Apple help and not really getting anywhere 

[AMEE1]

I kept trying and eventually it worked!

[littlelol07]

Ok. Bit of a pain isn't it. Managed to transfer data easily last time 

[adr81]

Did anyone find a solution to this? I'm having the exact same issue - trying to setup a new iPhone 16 from a 14. Extremely frustrating.

[littlelol07]

I messaged Apple support. They helped me sort it

For me, I had to turn my WiFi off and on again. 
I had tried signing out of Apple Account on old phone and turning both phones off and on again.  Apple message service were very responsive 

[Kellie18]

My iPhone isn't transferring from my old phone my new one keeps coming up with unknown error occurred 

and when it has let me to the end it's cancelled it 

[PeteRG41]

I'm having this same issue with my new iPhone 17 Pro.

For the past 4 hours now, I've had the Verification Failed message when entering a perfectly valid Apple Id.

Support claims I'm the only person with this problem and they've arranged a visit to an Apple store to correct the issue.

Changing WiFi didn't do anything, neither did tethering to another phone that's connected via 4G (bypassing my WiFi altogether).

Beyond frustrated.  Never happened to any previous phone.

[Lou767]

Same, i've been told it's a sky issue apple have had multiple calls. I can't set it up at all and apple told me to use non sky wifi or 5G but not working. At a loss but can't use it or set it up.

[Zoop88]

I have the new iPhone 17 pro. I'm having the exact same problem. No matter what I do, I can't sign into my Apple account on my new phone. I've spoken to Apple via chat. They don't understand why I can't log in on the new phone but I can log in on all my other Apple devices. A 10min job turning into a long frustrating job 

[islaaa1]

yeah same i've just skipped it all and gonna set it up later when it wants to work because im so impatient and it made me mad

[PeteRG41]

Glad it's not just me.  I'll try and fine a non-Sky Wifi/SIM somewhere and see if that corrects it.

I've not seen this being a wife issue with other users on other forums, so maybe it's something related to Sky.

[Zoop88]

I have logged out and back into my Apple account on my old iPhone and iPad. No issues at all. Not 100% sure this is a sky issue. Possibly a phone issue some how. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️