# iPhone:  Why does it randomly ask for my iTunes password?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 17, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337 "2010-02-17T15:35:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337/1 "2010-02-17T15:35:35Z")

</div>

This has been happening for about a week now. I won’t even be in a specific app - it’ll just pop up the iTunes password entering screen. I just got a text a minute ago, and it asked for my password. I can cancel it, and read the text - but why is it doing this? I reset it about 10 minutes ago, and it’s still doing it.

Any ideas?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337/2 "2010-02-17T16:13:53Z")

</div>

Are you in the middle of an App download or update?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337/3 "2010-02-17T16:41:08Z")

</div>

Only time I get the password prompt is when I’m downloading Apps. And then it only asks once, it seems to store it for 30 minutes or more.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337/4 "2010-02-17T16:49:05Z")

</div>

That’s when your iPhone is downloading music to entertain itself.

Serious answer - that sounds like a glitch. I’d contact Apple or someone who knows about these things.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337/5 "2010-02-17T17:03:21Z")

</div>

> [@beowulff](#):
>
> Are you in the middle of an App download or update?

Nope - it isn’t doing anything.

Wait… yes it is. It’s hung up on downloading the Shakespeare app. I’ll plug my password in next time and see if it goes. (Though I think that one’s big enough to need to be connected to wifi.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iphone-why-does-it-randomly-ask-for-my-itunes-password/529337/6 "2010-02-17T17:43:06Z")

</div>

> [@Munch](#):
>
> Nope - it isn’t doing anything.
> 
> Wait… yes it is. It’s hung up on downloading the Shakespeare app. I’ll plug my password in next time and see if it goes. (Though I think that one’s big enough to need to be connected to wifi.)

Dollars to donuts that’s your problem.  
(Now, just what is the origin of _that_ expression…)