App-Specific Passwords

[exgarymac]

I need to re-input my app-specific password to my remote device but originally did not make a note. I have been into my iCloud account and can see the named app-specific password name in the history but not the detail. Is there a way I can recall that password content or must I generate another?

 

[pm-r]

Is there a way I can recall that password content or must I generate another?

Try looking in your Keychain Access (Utilities) and see if they might be listed in there.

If so, the password shold be available once you press "Show Password" then enter your Mac OS user password and it should be displayed.


- Patrick
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[Raz0rEdge]

App-specific passwords are only visible when generated, you cannot recall them and you shouldn't store them anywhere either. If you need to re-enter that password again, you should generate a new password for that app and revoke the old one.

 

[pm-r]

Thanks Ashwin, my brain wasn't really registering as to what App-specific passwords actually are.

And maybe this Apple article would help the OP:

How to manage app-specific passwords
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.

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.

Using app-specific passwords - Apple Support

I have only come across one third-party instance where one was required but I said to H--- with it mainly due to Apple' Requirements and besides it was just too much of a PITA:

To generate and use app-specific passwords, your Apple ID must be protected with two-factor authentication.

- Patrick
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[Ratsima]

I've only used four: Fantastical, Carbon Copy Cloner, Gmail and Spark.

 

[pm-r]

I've only used four: Fantastical, Carbon Copy Cloner, Gmail and Spark.

I don't use Gmail or Spark, I have never come across any app-specific password need when using Carbon Copy Cloner, but Fantastical became a real annoying PITA their solution wouldn't work for me so I switched to another similar app that does the same thing, including iCloud access but without any of the Apple/app-specific passwords PITA stuff.
But I really do not need that sort of protection for a few reminders and appointments in any of my calendars thanks Apple or Fantastical. And Fantastical just says that they are following Apple's rules.

Hmmm...??? Maybe it seems odd that the replacement application I ended up using seems to have no problem bypassing all the stipulated Apple app-specific password hassles. But it suits me just fine that way thanks.



- Patrick
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[exgarymac]

Thank you everyone. I am not sure why my device requires re-input but it is easy to regenerate a new password - just has nuisance value!

 

[Ratsima]

I have never come across any app-specific password need when using Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner needs an app specific password if you set up email notifications. (I just looked that up.)

 

[pm-r]

Carbon Copy Cloner needs an app specific password if you set up email notifications. (I just looked that up.)

Okay, good to know thanks, at least for those who might want to use any CCC email notifications I guess.


- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

Carbon Copy Cloner needs an app specific password if you set up email notifications. (I just looked that up.)

That's interesting because I have CCC, never had a app specific password and get email notifications just fine. Not saying that wherever you looked that up is wrong, but from practical work, I've not had to use app specific passwords.

 

[Ratsima]

That's interesting because I have CCC, never had a app specific password and get email notifications just fine. Not saying that wherever you looked that up is wrong, but from practical work, I've not had to use app specific passwords.

Here's some clarification:

Configuring Email Notifications | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software

Starting on June 15, 2017, Apple no longer permits third-party applications to send email via iCloud without the use of an application-specific password. That means that to use an iCloud account to send emails via CCC, you must enable two-factor or two-step authentication on your iCloud account and create an app-specific password.

 

[pm-r]

That's interesting because I have CCC, never had a app specific password and get email notifications just fine.

Hmmm...??? About the same here, I don't have CCC set to send me any kind of email and I just took a quick look and I don't see any area that would need any sort of authentication setup.

The only app that I had used that kept nagginging that it wanted and needed some app-specific password was Fantastical, so I found an alternate replacement and just removed Fantastical in order to shut it up.

OT and JFWIW: Personally, I think the Fantastical developers misread or misinterpreted what Apple said about accessing ones calendars etc. I'll have to look it up what they said in a long spiel about all that.


- Patrick
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[pm-r]

Here's some clarification:

Here's a very similar thing that I came across to be able to use Fantastical that starts off with a Dialog box:




The "Info about iCloud passwords" link gets one this:

Apple requires an app-specific password for your iCloud account in order to use Fantastical. You can generate an app-specific password after you enable two-factor authentication on your iCloud account.

Flexibits | Fantastical 2 for Mac | iCloud Authentication

Basically, Apple set up an extra unnecessary rule that kills what used to be a nice working commercial application (Fantastical) for me. And I guess, no way around it!! ;P

And no Apple, my iCloud account password is NOT incorrect!!! Gheese, stupid!!!



- Patrick
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[Ratsima]

So, how should Apple make sure that 3rd party apps actually have your permission to access your data in iCloud?

 

[pm-r]

So, how should Apple make sure that 3rd party apps actually have your permission to access your data in iCloud?

With a option to do so as it used to work and using the password process it used for years would work for me.


- Patrick
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[Ratsima]

Well, yeah, two factor authentication is often a PITA. And, I readily admit that I do not use 2FA everywhere.

I use Oracle's DynDNS service. I signed up for 2FA. I hadn't logged in for a long time so they wanted to send me a text message. I never got it. They said it was my carrier's fault. I thought it was their SMS provider's fault.

Standoff.

Eventually I got access to my account after providing them with tons of ID info. It took several days.

The first thing I did was turn 2FA off. Way too much trouble.

 

[chscag]

The first thing I did was turn 2FA off. Way too much trouble.

You were fortunate that at the time Apple still allowed 2FA to be turned off. Implemented now, it can no longer be turned off.

There's actually a lawsuit against Apple because of that.

 

[Ratsima]

You were fortunate that at the time Apple still allowed 2FA to be turned off. Implemented now, it can no longer be turned off.

There's actually a lawsuit against Apple because of that.

What I meant was that I turned off 2FA for Oracle's DynDNS service. I still have it enabled for Apple.

But, I can understand why people get frustrated with Apple's implementation of 2FA. It's cumbersome. Every time I log in to Apple I get a notice that I need to enter the six digit verification code because I'm signing in from a new browser or device. Nope. It's Safari and it's on the same machine I've been using for several years. And, every time I say to "Trust this browser". It never does.

Every time. It's stupid.

(Note that I have "Prevent cross-site tracking" and "Block all cookies" disabled.)

 

[MacInWin]

Here's some clarification:

Configuring Email Notifications | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software

That explains it. I don't use iCloud mail for the notifications. Hence, no app-specific passwords.

 

[pm-r]

You were fortunate that at the time Apple still allowed 2FA to be turned off. Implemented now, it can no longer be turned off.

Thanks for that info and the reminder!!!


- Patrick
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