HT204397: Using app-specific passwords

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JD135

Q: Why did iMessage and FaceTime request a new app specific password?

This morning while using my Macbook Pro, iMessage and FaceTime requested an app-specific password.  iMessage and FaceTime have been working normally with an already generated app-specific password, so I'm a bit confused why I had to generate new passwords.  When I logged into applied.apple.com, my account has three different app-specific passwords for iMessage and FaceTime, so I'm a bit confused.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Jul 11, 2015 10:55 PM

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Q: Why did iMessage and FaceTime request a new app specific password?

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  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jul 12, 2015 1:25 PM in response to JD135
    Level 9 (70,061 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 12, 2015 1:25 PM in response to JD135

    If you have Apple ID 2 step verification set up, it now requires application specific passwords for Messages and FaceTime. Why you are being required to regenerate them is unknown, but I finally gave up and disabled 2 step authentication in order to avoid this situation.

     

    Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

     

    Feedback

     

    Or you can use your Apple ID to register with this site and go the Apple BugReporter. Supposedly you will get an answer if you submit feedback.

     

    Feedback via Apple Developer

  • by Seileromon,

    Seileromon Seileromon Jul 15, 2015 6:25 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 15, 2015 6:25 AM in response to Eric Root

    I found the whole process very annoying.  I wanted to keep the additional security benefits of two factor authentication so pushed through.

     

    The process is very poorly explained and is buggy, lots of error messages that don't need to appear.  I had to walk through the process twice to get the hang of it. 

     

    The first thing that should be explained is why iMessage and FaceTime require an app specific password in the first place.  The online guides say that it is required for third party apps that don't support two factor authentication, hence the confusion these apps are Apples.

     

    Why Apple haven't enabled two factor for these apps on thier own devices is puzzling.  Perhaps it's related to prepping them as plugins for third party websites or hardware, but it would have been better to allowed two factor on Apple hardware and require the app specific passwords on other platforms.

     

    Anyhoo, all you have to do is click create when prompted, authenticate onto the Apple ID site (using two factor authentication), generate the app specific password and then cut and paste into the password field that appeared when you first tried to access the App.

     

    Oh, you may get two user name/password prompts, paste the same generated password into both... 1 for iMessage and 1 for FaceTime, not that that's explained anywhere.

     

    FYI the experience is much worse on my iPad, trying to copy the generated password was a complete pain. 

     

    If anyone knows a good YouTube video on this please let me know, got to provide a guide for 300 users to do it.