Problems loging into LDS Tools

Several weeks ago, when I went to use LDS Tools on my Apple phone, it told me I needed to sign in again to update/verify my account. I went to do so, logged in, and the screen told me 'downloading will take a few minutes', or something to that effect. It then immediately went back to the login screen. It has continued to do this everytime I attempt to log in. However, I can log into lds.org, or si.lds.org on both my phone and computer, using the same username and password. I spent about an hour in a chat with someone at the Global Service Center chat support, and she couldn't figure it out either. (I found out later that they don't support LDS tools at the Global Service Center.) However, she tried to help, and then told me to try again the next day, stating it might be a problem with the ldstools database.

I have tried the following
1. Making sure the app was closed.
2. Delete LDS Tools from my phone and reinstall.
3. Delete LDS tools from the i-tunes cloud, and reinstall.
4. Tried to log in on Wifi.
5. Tried to log in using mobile data.

Everything I have tried results in the same thing happening. Does anyone have any other ideas of how I can solve this problem?
RC

Are you able to log into the LDS.org Directory, in a web browser on your computer?

Yes, I can log into the directory.

It seems to only be a problem on my iphone

It sounds like you've tried most of the basic troubleshooting. Are you able to get into "Contact Us" under Help, to email the developers, or does it not let you get to that menu? If not, you can try emailing LDSToolsSupport@ldschurch.org.

I've sent an email to both of those, so now I'm just waiting. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've got the identical issue as RhondaEastin. Please let me know what you find out.

Any change your password has odd characters in it like a space or punctuation?

Another possibility might be a "reserved word" that might be significant to computers. (Like "drop" or "table".) But I don't know how to check that short of posting your password, which is not a good idea.

Going back to the OP, having carried out the 2 and/or 3 in the list of actions. Before reinstalling, was the phone powered down, then restarted?

My phone was not powdered done before reinstalling, so I tried that and then reinstalled LDS tools. Same problem occured. I do have a '#' character in my password, could that be causing a problem?

RhondaEastin wrote:I do have a '#' character in my password, could that be causing a problem?

Could be. I'd suggest changing your password to be strictly alphanumeric. Perhaps replace the # with a z or something. You may have to wait 10 minutes or so before it works everywhere. If that fixes it, then I'd suggest reporting it to the developers via the in-app feedback.

I changed my password, but it still won't work.

Recently helped someone solve a similar problem. After several hours of struggle, the solution turned out to be:

1. Delete LDS Tools.
2. Restart the iPad.
3. Sign out of iCloud. (For instructions on how to do that, see: http://www.imore.com/how-sign-out-your- ... e-and-ipad)
4. Look up "LDS Tools" in the App Store and install again.
5. Sign in using your LDS Account information.
6. Sign into iCloud, again.

Step 3 is the key. If you don't sign out of iCloud, every time you reinstall, it will reinstall the corrupted version of the app from your iCloud account. Signing out of iCloud forces your phone to get a fresh copy of the app.

Be aware that signing out of iCloud means that "Your iCloud Photo Library and any documents and data stored in iCloud Drive will be removed from" your iPhone or iPad. That can be a real pain in the neck. Make sure you have a full backup before doing this, just in case all of that stuff isn't restored to your device when you sign in again.

ulupoi wrote:Recently helped someone solve a similar problem. After several hours of struggle, the solution turned out to be:

1. Delete LDS Tools.
2. Restart the iPad.
3. Sign out of iCloud. (For instructions on how to do that, see: http://www.imore.com/how-sign-out-your- ... e-and-ipad)
4. Look up "LDS Tools" in the App Store and install again.
5. Sign in using your LDS Account information.
6. Sign into iCloud, again.

Step 3 is the key. If you don't sign out of iCloud, every time you reinstall, it will reinstall the corrupted version of the app from your iCloud account. Signing out of iCloud forces your phone to get a fresh copy of the app.

Signing out of iCloud will remove more than cached app data, and it may be a pain to get everything in sync again. There's an easier way to remove app data for an individual app from iCloud, in iCloud settings. I haven't seen this particular LDS Tools problem myself, but I'm guessing removing the app data would have the same effect on LDS Tools as signing out. Here are instructions for iOS 11:

1. Open iOS Settings.
2. Tap on your name at the top ("Apple ID, iCloud, iTunes & App Store").
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Tap Manage Storage.
5. Tap Backups.
6. Tap your phone's name (or whichever device is having problems).
7. Toggle off data backups for LDS Tools.
8. Tap "Turn Off & Delete" when prompted.

After that, you can reinstall LDS Tools fresh from the App Store.

Good idea. One would definitely want to try that first.

sbradshaw wrote:Signing out of iCloud will remove more than cached app data, and it may be a pain to get everything in sync again. There's an easier way to remove app data for an individual app from iCloud, in iCloud settings. I haven't seen this particular LDS Tools problem myself, but I'm guessing removing the app data would have the same effect on LDS Tools as signing out. Here are instructions for iOS 11:

1. Open iOS Settings.
2. Tap on your name at the top ("Apple ID, iCloud, iTunes & App Store").
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Tap Manage Storage.
5. Tap Backups.
6. Tap your phone's name (or whichever device is having problems).
7. Toggle off data backups for LDS Tools.
8. Tap "Turn Off & Delete" when prompted.

After that, you can reinstall LDS Tools fresh from the App Store.

sbradshaw wrote:Signing out of iCloud will remove more than cached app data, and it may be a pain to get everything in sync again. There's an easier way to remove app data for an individual app from iCloud, in iCloud settings. I haven't seen this particular LDS Tools problem myself, but I'm guessing removing the app data would have the same effect on LDS Tools as signing out. Here are instructions for iOS 11:

1. Open iOS Settings.
2. Tap on your name at the top ("Apple ID, iCloud, iTunes & App Store").
3. Tap iCloud.
4. Tap Manage Storage.
5. Tap Backups.
6. Tap your phone's name (or whichever device is having problems).
7. Toggle off data backups for LDS Tools.
8. Tap "Turn Off & Delete" when prompted.

After that, you can reinstall LDS Tools fresh from the App Store.

I am having a similar problem. I really appreciated this comment- which I have tried and it is still not working. Should I go ahead and log out of iCloud?

My Windows phone has not been able to sync for the past month. When I select LDS TOOLS, enter my password, select Sign In - it says preparing to sync, Then says LDS Tools Services are unavailable. Please try again later. Help!

wgbjlb wrote:My Windows phone has not been able to sync for the past month. When I select LDS TOOLS, enter my password, select Sign In - it says preparing to sync, Then says LDS Tools Services are unavailable. Please try again later. Help!

Make sure you have the current version.

ulupoi wrote:Recently helped someone solve a similar problem. After several hours of struggle, the solution turned out to be:

1. Delete LDS Tools.
2. Restart the iPad.
3. Sign out of iCloud. (For instructions on how to do that, see: http://www.imore.com/how-sign-out-your- ... e-and-ipad)
4. Look up "LDS Tools" in the App Store and install again.
5. Sign in using your LDS Account information.
6. Sign into iCloud, again.

Step 3 is the key. If you don't sign out of iCloud, every time you reinstall, it will reinstall the corrupted version of the app from your iCloud account. Signing out of iCloud forces your phone to get a fresh copy of the app.

I'm going to recommend that no one follow my original advice (quoted above). As you can see in the comments that follow my original post, including my own, signing out of iCloud and then signing back in results in you having to spend a whole lot of time recovering your device to how it was before, and it is a real pain in the neck. You should avoid doing it.

I also have a new idea of what the problem is. I think that the problem is that some sort or user information in the app that is stored on the device (something equivalent to a cookie on a web browser) gets corrupted. You want to force the app to delete that corrupted user information file and generate a new one.

Try this instead of my original suggestion:
Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, then scroll down until you see LDS Tools and tap on it. Tap "Delete App, This will delete the app and all related data from this iPhone. This action can't be undone." Then, reinstall the app and log in again.
I haven't tried this method yet, but I think that it will probably work. It won't mess-up anything outside of deleting this particular app, so it's much better than signing out of iCloud.

Did this ever get resolved? I have the same issue.

what kind of AI nonsense is this? still can't log in.

jackmanjr1 wrote: Tue May 02, 2023 11:36 pm what kind of AI nonsense is this? still can't log in.

If you are using the same Church account as you are using to log into this forum then your account does not have your membership record number (MRN) registered in your profile. Go to, and sign into, account.churchofjesuschrist.org. In the Membership section enter your MRN and save your changes.

When I log in and enter my pin number it tells me the pin number does not match.

Im the secretary at Sycamore Ward and a sister into my ward its trying to login to her Lds Account, i change her phone number and i cant reset her pasword with her phone number because when she try to reset pasword the phone number its diferent...... can u help me?

For Church Account issues, please see this thread in the Church Account area: https://tech.churchofjesuschrist.org/fo ... hp?t=30383

stefeen wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2024 12:15 pm Im the secretary at Sycamore Ward and a sister into my ward its trying to login to her Lds Account, i change her phone number and i cant reset her pasword with her phone number because when she try to reset pasword the phone number its diferent...... can u help me?

I think that you have to call the Global Services Department (Global Service Center) for that kind of thing. The number that I have for them is [removed].

[moderator note: We have been asked to not allow posting of the GSD phone number in the Forums. Please ask your ward clerk for it.]

hansensharon wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2024 8:10 am When I log in and enter my pin number it tells me the pin number does not match.

Are you referring to the authentication code that is sent to your phone when you log in to your Church account using an Internet browser?

hansensharon wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2024 8:10 am When I log in and enter my pin number it tells me the pin number does not match.

The application has a PIN number that's separate from 2FA (if you have it turned on).

If you've forgotten/lost your PIN, I'd suggest uninstall and reinstall the app. It will then ask you for a new PIN.

The GSD phone number can also be found on the Wiki, and I'm informed we're allowed to post the link: https://tech.churchofjesuschrist.org/wi ... ice_Center

Also, for anyone not in the US or Canada, a better link is https://tech.churchofjesuschrist.org/wi ... Department

For Android phones clearing the app's cache user data can work. For me, uninstalling and reinstalling the app, without clearing somewhat protected files, has occasionally failed to resolve a glitch, or it seems to fail.