App-specific passwords are passwords for your Apple ID that let you sign in to your account and securely access the information you store in iCloud from a third-party app. For example, use app-specific passwords with mail, contacts, and calendar services not provided by Apple. App-specific passwords maintain a high level of security and help ensure your Apple ID password won’t be collected or stored by any third-party apps you use.
If you are signed in to iCloud for Windows, you don't need an app-specific password when using your Apple ID with third-party Microsoft apps.
To generate and use app-specific passwords, your Apple ID must be protected with two-factor authentication.
Password protect individual apps on Mac OS X Mac App Blocker offers a free, 15-day trial for people who are interested in adding another level of security, beyond the standard administrator password. Anyone concerned with unauthorized access to their computer should at least have a login password.
You also need an app-specific password for your devices that use Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 and earlier or iOS 5 and earlier. If you don’t have devices that can be updated to iOS 9 or later or OS X El Capitan or later, you can set up two-step verification and generate app-specific passwords.
How to generate an app-specific password
- Sign in to your Apple ID account page.
- In the Security section, click Generate Password below App-Specific Passwords.
- Follow the steps on your screen.
After you generate your app-specific password, enter or paste it into the password field of the app as you would normally.
How to manage app-specific passwords
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At any given time, you can have up to 25 active app-specific passwords. If you need to, you can revoke passwords individually or all at once.
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- Sign in to your Apple ID account page.
- In the Security section, click Edit.
- In the App Specific Passwords section, click View History.
- Click next to a password you want to delete, or Revoke All.
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After you revoke a password, the app using that password will be signed out of your account until you generate a new password and sign in again.
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Any time you change or reset your primary Apple ID password, all of your app-specific passwords are revoked automatically to protect the security of your account. You'll need to generate new app-specific passwords for any apps that you want to continue using.