Generating iCloud App Passwords Simplified
A lot of modern email clients, like Mailbird, have a branded iCloud sign-in page where you only interact with the provider when adding an account. For the rest, you'll need to generate an iCloud app password to access your mailbox(es) through IMAP or POP.
In this post, you will find step-by-step instructions on how to generate this password from the iCloud app.
How to Generate an App Password in iCloud on the Web, iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Follow the steps below to create an email password for IMAP or POP in iCloud's web application:
1. Log into your iCloud account at https://appleid.apple.com/sign-in.
2. Click on the App-Specific passwords link.
3. A pop-up window will appear. Click on Generate an app-specific password.
4. Enter your preferred password.
5. You will be asked to provide your password again, and then you will be redirected to the App Passwords page. You will need to enter your account password once more to prove it is you.
6. After you prove your identity, your password will be generated.
7. Copy the password and paste it into a safe place — for instance, your password manager app, which stores all your passwords, encrypted, online.
The next time you add your iCloud account to another email client or application, you should use the dedicated app password instead of your iCloud default password.
How to Delete or Revoke Your iCloud App Password
Knowing how to generate an iCloud app password is handy. But what if you need to delete it? Follow the steps below:
1. Log into your iCloud account at https://appleid.apple.com/sign-in.
2. Click on the App-Specific passwords link.
3. A small pop-up will appear. Select the password you want to delete and click on the minus icon on the right side.
4. Select Revoke on the next screen and enter your default iCloud password. Your app-specific password has now been disabled.
What's Next?
What if you have more than one iCloud email account? For instance, you may have an email address for business inquiries, one for private communication, and another for marketing newsletters and online shopping.
If you continue using the webmail interface, you'll have to switch between these accounts multiple times a day. Having a dedicated tab for each email address in a web browser is not convenient.
On the other hand, if you start using an email client to maintain all those accounts in one place, you'll have to generate an iCloud app password for each of the addresses.
A more effective way to manage multiple email accounts is to add them to Mailbird. It has a branded sign-in page for iCloud, which is more secure than inputting your main credentials into a third-party app. And, unlike most email clients, you can access all your iCloud addresses from one unified inbox.
Mailbird is an award-winning desktop email client for Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11. There's also a macOS version in the making. It can offer you the following:
Features
Our email client supports multiple-email account management with its powerful features, including
- a unified inbox;
- a unified calendar;
- a drag-and-drop contact manager;
- an attachment search function;
- shortcut keys for email writing, replying, forwarding, etc.;
- a snooze function for email productivity;
- a customizable email signature; and
- folders to organize emails.
Integrations
To take email to the next level, Mailbird supports numerous integrations with apps for productivity, task management, collaboration, and communication, including
- Google Calendar,
- Contacts manager,
- Slack,
- Dropbox,
- WhatsApp,
- Trello,
- Asana,
- Todoist,
- Facebook, and
- Twitter.
Users that have opted for Mailbird say that it has streamlined their email communication and helped declutter their mailboxes.
Final Thoughts
Protecting your email from unauthorized access nowadays is more important than ever as the number and severity of cybersecurity crimes grows unprecedentedly. Email passwords provide the first line of defense against hackers looking to access your personal or business communication in an unlawful manner.
As a result, you should never neglect the simple rules of email security hygiene:
- Create a strong password for each email client or app you use.
- Change your password periodically.
- Do not share your passwords with other people.
- Keep your passwords encrypted with the help of a password manager.
- Create a one-time password each time you log into an email client or other app using an email authorization method.
As an alternative to iCloud app password generation, you can also use a modern email client like Mailbird that offers a branded sign-in page.
