Getting the error "There was an error in iCloud Preferences"

Question

I keep getting this error:

Not sure how to fix it. I tried moving the MobileMe.plist file from the preferences but still get this.

Ive saved the log file specifically for the iCloud error:

4/26/16 4:21:39.714 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Failed to connect (_signInButton) outlet from (iCloudPref) to (NSButton): missing setter or instance variable
4/26/16 4:21:39.714 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Failed to connect (_signInSpinner) outlet from (iCloudPref) to (NSProgressIndicator): missing setter or instance variable
4/26/16 4:21:39.715 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Could not connect action, target class iCloudPref does not respond to -signinPressed:
4/26/16 4:21:39.800 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Additional Logging , array retured in signedInAccounts is (
    " -- uid: 23E78709-2529-493E-A80A-17F8E3BABAB8; loginName: user@me.com; provider: com.apple.account.icloud; parent: (null)\n\taccount ID: user@me.com - com.apple.account.icloud - \n\tprovider attrs: {\n    IADSIDKey = 146390864;\n    \"com.apple.InternetAccounts.loginName\" = \"user@me.com\";\n    \"com.apple.InternetAccounts.provider\" = \"com.apple.account.icloud\";\n    fullName = \"Full Name\";\n}"
)
4/26/16 4:21:41.891 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    [AOSAccounts] :  [MMCopyMeCardImageFromiCloud]  : error from _AOSAccountRetrieveMeCardImage Error Domain=AOSErrorDomain Code=1000 "(null)" UserInfo={HttpStatusCode=404, DialogInfo={
    DialogType = Unknown;
}}
4/26/16 4:21:42.061 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    [AOSAccounts] :  [MMCopyMeCardImageFromiCloud]  : error from _AOSAccountRetrieveMeCardImage Error Domain=AOSErrorDomain Code=1000 "(null)" UserInfo={HttpStatusCode=404, DialogInfo={
    DialogType = Unknown;
}}
4/26/16 4:21:42.256 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    [AOSAccounts] :  [MMCopyMeCardImageFromiCloud]  : error from _AOSAccountRetrieveMeCardImage Error Domain=AOSErrorDomain Code=1000 "(null)" UserInfo={HttpStatusCode=404, DialogInfo={
    DialogType = Unknown;
}}
4/26/16 4:21:42.290 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Failed to connect (_iconBadgeView) outlet from (IACastleServiceRow) to (NSImageView): missing setter or instance variable
4/26/16 4:21:42.350 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    [AOSAccounts] : [iCloudConfigurationDelegate] -[iCloudConfigurationDelegate completeSetupWithResponse:account:handler:] : Saving iCloud Account with username user@me.com 23E78709-2529-493E-A80A-17F8E3BABAB8
4/26/16 4:21:42.654 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Migration of type ValidateCredentials already in progress
4/26/16 4:21:42.704 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    ValidateCredentials start
4/26/16 4:21:42.704 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]      running ValidateCredentials step LogStatus
4/26/16 4:21:42.731 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Master identity:  BAT: old-identity 
4/26/16 4:21:42.753 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    KeychainGetICDPStatus: keychain: -25300
4/26/16 4:21:42.753 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    KeychainGetICDPStatus: status: off
4/26/16 4:21:42.753 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Local iCDP status is 0
4/26/16 4:21:42.753 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]      running ValidateCredentials step PreCheckKeychain
4/26/16 4:21:42.766 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]     SecOSStatusWith error:[-25299] Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-25299 "duplicate item O,genp,0DC4BAEB,S,ak,appleaccount,0,desc,invi,acct,svce,gena,musr,20160426232142.764685Z,75C3AAAC" (errKCDuplicateItem / errSecDuplicateItem:  / The item already exists.) UserInfo={NSDescription=duplicate item O,genp,0DC4BAEB,S,ak,appleaccount,0,desc,invi,acct,svce,gena,musr,20160426232142.764685Z,75C3AAAC}
4/26/16 4:21:42.779 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]      running ValidateCredentials step FixupKeychainItems
4/26/16 4:21:42.803 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]     SecOSStatusWith error:[-25299] Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-25299 "duplicate item O,genp,0DC4BAEB,S,ak,appleaccount,0,desc,invi,acct,svce,gena,musr,20160426232142.802161Z,B5BBC74F" (errKCDuplicateItem / errSecDuplicateItem:  / The item already exists.) UserInfo={NSDescription=duplicate item O,genp,0DC4BAEB,S,ak,appleaccount,0,desc,invi,acct,svce,gena,musr,20160426232142.802161Z,B5BBC74F}
4/26/16 4:21:43.027 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]      running ValidateCredentials step FetchMetaData
4/26/16 4:21:43.043 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]     SecOSStatusWith error:[-25299] Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-25299 "duplicate item O,genp,0DC4BAEB,S,ak,appleaccount,0,desc,invi,acct,svce,gena,musr,20160426232143.04167Z,3AE70A56" (errKCDuplicateItem / errSecDuplicateItem:  / The item already exists.) UserInfo={NSDescription=duplicate item O,genp,0DC4BAEB,S,ak,appleaccount,0,desc,invi,acct,svce,gena,musr,20160426232143.04167Z,3AE70A56}
4/26/16 4:21:44.370 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    Could not find image named 'iCloudDrive'.
4/26/16 4:21:44.622 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    revealElementForKey iCloud
4/26/16 4:21:44.624 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    An uncaught exception was raised
4/26/16 4:21:44.624 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    *** -[__NSArrayI objectAtIndex:]: index 1 beyond bounds [0 .. 0]
4/26/16 4:21:44.624 PM  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]    (
    0   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff96abd4f2 __exceptionPreprocess + 178
    1   libobjc.A.dylib                     0x00007fff8a053f7e objc_exception_throw + 48
    2   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff969dd134 -[__NSArrayI objectAtIndex:] + 164
    3   iCloudPref                          0x00000001011b69a5 iCloudPref + 10661
    4   libdispatch.dylib                   0x00007fff8ca4f93d _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 12
    5   libdispatch.dylib                   0x00007fff8ca4440b _dispatch_client_callout + 8
    6   libdispatch.dylib                   0x00007fff8ca57c1c _dispatch_main_queue_callback_4CF + 1685
    7   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff96a729e9 __CFRUNLOOP_IS_SERVICING_THE_MAIN_DISPATCH_QUEUE__ + 9
    8   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff96a318dd __CFRunLoopRun + 1949
    9   CoreFoundation                      0x00007fff96a30ed8 CFRunLoopRunSpecific + 296
    10  HIToolbox                           0x00007fff932e4935 RunCurrentEventLoopInMode + 235
    11  HIToolbox                           0x00007fff932e476f ReceiveNextEventCommon + 432
    12  HIToolbox                           0x00007fff932e45af _BlockUntilNextEventMatchingListInModeWithFilter + 71
    13  AppKit                              0x00007fff8da68efa _DPSNextEvent + 1067
    14  AppKit                              0x00007fff8da6832a -[NSApplication _nextEventMatchingEventMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 454
    15  ViewBridge                          0x00007fff8be2ab21 -[NSViewServiceApplication nextEventMatchingMask:untilDate:inMode:dequeue:] + 73
    16  AppKit                              0x00007fff8da5ce84 -[NSApplication run] + 682
    17  AppKit                              0x00007fff8da2646c NSApplicationMain + 1176
    18  libxpc.dylib                        0x00007fff9897245e _xpc_objc_main + 793
    19  libxpc.dylib                        0x00007fff98970e8a xpc_main + 494
    20  ViewBridge                          0x00007fff8be50683 xpc_connection_handler + 0
    21  ViewBridge                          0x00007fff8be2e9d9 NSViewServiceApplicationMain + 2818
    22  PreferencePanes                     0x00007fff854c95c1 PreferencePaneMain + 168
    23  com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice 0x0000000100dccd24 main + 37
    24  libdyld.dylib                       0x00007fff8fc935ad start + 1
    25  ???                                 0x0000000000000001 0x0 + 1
)
4/26/16 4:21:44.634 PM  com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]    (com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315]) Service exited due to signal: Illegal instruction: 4
4/26/16 4:21:45.736 PM  ReportCrash[1345]   Saved crash report for com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice[1315] version 316 (479) to /Users/doronkatz/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/com.apple.preferences.icloud.remoteservice_2016-04-26-162145_Dorons-MacBook-Pro.crash

score 16 · Answer 1 · answered May 23 '16 at 18:07

16

Instead of launching iCloud in System Preferences (and getting that error), open Internet Accounts and log into your iCloud account to reset your credentials. That fixed this error from iCloud preferences for me.

answered May 23 '16 at 18:07

user597159

161

user1686710 · Answer 2 · 2022-04-20T12:23:55.010

Omg i had the same problem. Im a tech-blind wasted half of my life in this mess, so i must summarize all this for who needed...

my Notes was not syncing, cannot sign out iCloud either (it seemed lag? i was unable to uncheck the Find my mac or Keychain)
Then I used terminal to "defaults delete MobileMeAccounts" (100% regretful .-.)
iCloud was forced signing out successfully, but cannot re-sign in any more. The caution "You can’t sign in at this time. Try signing in again” appeared every time i entered id + password
after some hopeless effort (like restart mac), the box "There was an error in iCloud preferences" appeared.

There were some suggestion on internet like updating macos.... but this one worked on me: How to find that .plist file

In the Finder, click on the Go menu and choose Go to Folder.
Type ~/Library in the box.
Select the Preferences folder and locate the file: com.apple.systempreferences.plist
Drag the plist file to your desktop and close the folder.
Try to access the iCloud preferences pane again.

!: pls dont delete plist file, simply drag it to your screen !!: note down the location of plist file, idk but if sth wrong occur, at least you know exactly where to put it back, make a copy of it or whatever you want....

hexalys · Answer 3 · 2023-10-26T03:56:01.370

For others having some of these persistent issues, I am sharing a related but different fix that resolved my issue, where none of the numerous basic solutions out there, such as resetting ~/Library/Application Support/iCloud/Accounts or com.apple.systempreferences.plist, or deleting either the ~/Library/Preferences/MobileMeAccounts.plist preference or the folder ~/Library/Preferences/Containers/com.apple.internetaccount worked consistently, if at all.

It started for me with an intermittent issue with "There was a problem connecting to the server. Try again later." with some occasional "There was an error in iCloud Preferences".

iCloud remained connected and syncing nevertheless, except for the inability to make any changes for failure to consistently load its preferencePane settings. The peculiar aspect was that, no matter what I did to try and solve it. I always ended up either with no preference pane and unable to log back in, like @user1686710 described, or had to contemplate continuing along a wonky unstable iCloud preference pane, with inconsistent ability to make changes.

It seems these problems can occur when moving a system/user from one partition to another, or perhaps after restoring partial data from a backup... In my case, cloning a Mojave user partition with some user preference permissions issues, occurring along the way from one clone to the other (going from an APFS Mojave to HFS+ plus on two different partitions), likely created or contributed to the problem.

After comparing files from previous clones and older systems from which Mojave was upgraded from. I saw that the ~/Library/Preferences/MobileMeAccounts.plist was empty or different. So I copied the working MobileMeAccounts.plist file from an active El Capitan system to the Mojave user preferences. And voila, that fixed it.

For others stuck in that mess. If none of these solutions work. As a last resort, I would recommend to try install the same system on another drive, and use migration assistant to recover that same user. Or alternatively, create another user on the same system, should you not have the potential downside prospect of third party (non app-store) one-time activation apps, which may become unlicensed, or requiring to be unlicensed and re-licensed again.

Getting the error "There was an error in iCloud Preferences"

3 Answers3