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Level 2

190 points

Mail won't save my iCloud password after update to Mavericks

EVerytime I open Mail version 7.0 (1816) after installing Mavericks, I am asked to enter my iCloud password. I do that and rcieve iCloud mail normally. Open the Mail prefs, I noticed that my password was no longer store in the iCloud account. That's why I'm being asked to enter it on each startup. OK, I enter the same/corfrect password in the filed in Prefs, close the prefs and get the 'save' prompt (since I changed that setting). Click the save button and contine reading/sending mail. If I return to the prefs, the password is again gone, the field is empty.

I believe the solution to this same problem a couple of years ago was to manually set up the iCloud/Apple account rather than let Mail do it automatically. Not a difficult process by annoying, to say the least. I think the appropriate plist is ~/Library/Mail/V2/MailData. At least that plist is showing the same date/time stamp for changes I make in Mail prefs. The dictionary item for what I think is the password is "uniqueID." It is encrypted, of course, but is not showing a change even when I intentionally enter a different password. I duplicated this plist, opened Mail and entered my password... again, and saved the changes. Mail came in and I quit the app. I now opened both the duplicated plist and the supposedly just changed one and compared them in BBEdit. The only changes were two entried called "<key>DateOfLastSync</key>" which, obviously, indicated the two different times the mail accounts were synced.

I may try copying the entire plist, moving it from its normal position, forcing Mail to create a new file. I can then copy and paste the old info, except for the iCloud info back into the new plist. At least that way, I don't have to reenter stuff. Otherwise, the method will be to simply delete the iCloud account and try setting it up manually. The major problem I see in that is having if sync to my iPad and iPhone and delete stuff there! Then I'll have to trust in iCloud to sync the new stuff back to them after re-entering the data in Mail! Too much "trusting" if you ask me. And all because Mail can't actually use the current plist?!

OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), 8 GB DDR3

Posted on Oct 26, 2013 9:55 AM

Best reply

xairbusdriver Author

Level 2

190 points

Posted on Oct 26, 2013 3:54 PM

Fixed. Method I used below. I did call AppleCare and several things were tried with no improvement:

Moved the "com.apple.mail-shared.plist" to the Desktop. That plist does not include any password(s) as best I can tell. It's very short and I'm not sure it is even used by Mail anymore. I've started and quit Mail several times and that plist has yet to be re-created in the ~/Library/Preferences directory.
Started up in Safe mode.
Logged OUT and then logged IN to my standard testing account.
Re-entered my password.

BTW, we used the Apple Remote Access app so the tech could see my screen even though he could not actually click any buttons or start/quit any apps. But it was very useful for the tech to see that the password simply disappeared when one left that part of the Mail prefs. At least he knew I was not crazy... mostly! ;-)

During our conversation he mentioned that there are many reporting problems with Mail and Mavericks. Most were having trouble either sending or receiving mail from iCloud. He even stated that iCloud was intermittantly down. Once I entered my password on opening Mail, I never had any problem getting mail nor did I ever note that iCloud service was down. But if that's your problem, just know that Apple is aware of it and is "working on it." 🙂

Now, my fix was somewhat complicated but only because Mavericks has a new System pref. I decided I would simply delete my iCloud account in Mail and re-create it. However, clicking the "-" button only caused a dorp down sheet to tell me that I needed to do this deleting in the "Internet Accounts" pref panel. At least a button was included to directly open that panel.

The iCloud Mail account was deleted in that pref panel with no further problems. However, that panel also has many other items that might be connected/synced via iCloud. If you UNcheck any of those items, carefully read the dropdown sheet. Matter of fact, if you go the other way and enable some syncing, be sure to read and heed the displayed text. I disabled Calendar but it has been showing a ":Moving calendars to server account..." progress bar for nearly 30 minutes now. I seriously doubt my minimal entries are really taking that long. Yet Force Quit doesn't indictae that Calendar is 'not responding.' Who knows? I'm about to do a Force Quit on it, anyway.

Hope this helps anyone with the password failing to 'stick' problem. Of course, it's only prident to save all your account info before deleting it! :thinking: 🙂

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25 replies

malcb13

Level 1

0 points

Nov 19, 2013 10:01 AM in response to xairbusdriver

jerstra - you are a ⭐️

amyp2626

Level 1

0 points

Nov 20, 2013 4:53 PM in response to xairbusdriver

Yay, delete my iCloud account and reinstalling has solved the problem. Appreciate it.

Nov 25, 2013 1:17 PM in response to jerstra

The problem is what if you don't use iCloud as your email account? I don't. That doesn't stop OSX from pestering me for an iCloud password every single time I reboot. The worst part is it won't accept a password for like 5 minutes after booting. It just keeps popping up over and over and over again. If I wait around 5 minutes (guess on time) and then enter my AppleID password, it goes away. But a reboot brings it right back again. I CANNOT change advanced password to "token" because I don't use iCloud for email and so it doesn't exist in Mail's preference pane. It appears I can set up an Apple based email in Internet Accounts in preferences, but I don't WANT yet another email address (i.e. I already have 3 as it is). So why does iCloud keep asking for a password?

Well, obviously, I have other iCloud options (e.g. Find my Mac, bookmark sharing, etc.) set up for iCloud access and it needs a password, I guess. I don't know what it's trying to access on a boot, though. Maybe Facetime? It's not running, but I got an email saying it was accessed right after it accepted the last password even though the program is NOT running (at least on the dock). It might have some kind of background process going for all I know. I just used Activity Manager and it says no. But when I did run Facetime and turned it off and then quit and turned it back on again, it did ask for that same iCloud password so I think that is what's setting it off. I just have no idea why it's asking for it at boot when I'm not running it.

arawnsd

Level 1

0 points

Nov 26, 2013 5:16 AM in response to jerstra

The method mentioned by Jerstra worked for me. Nice to find a thread with multiple WORKING solutions. Now if anyone could come up with a fix for the Display Link driver, my Mavericks 'fixes' would be complete!

KBO17

Level 1

0 points

Dec 5, 2013 5:14 AM in response to jerstra

Jerstra - Thanks this did the trick! Such a simple solution......

ldyingrn

Level 1

0 points

Dec 24, 2013 3:06 PM in response to jerstra

that seems to have fixed my problem

BobP1776

Level 3

698 points

Dec 25, 2013 12:13 PM in response to jerstra

JERSTRA's method also worked for me:

I.e., in Mail > Preferences > Accounts > iCloud > Advanced, change Authentication from "Password" to "Apple Token".

The main reason I'm posting is to add that I just now did a fresh, upgrade install from 10.8.5, to the new 10.9.1, and this upgrade problem STILL EXISTS in the installation of the 10.9.1 version.

So even folks who skipped 10.9 and waited for 10.9.1 will need this fix to get Mail to remember their ICloud password.

--Bob

akmirjam

Level 1

9 points

Dec 28, 2013 6:42 AM in response to Community User

Simple fix and solved the problem. Thanks for posting.

Dec 28, 2013 9:50 AM in response to jerstra

Thanks, solved my problem too. The intersting thing is that I have three Mac platforms, two Mac Pros and a Macbook Air. I had the problem on only one device.

Feb 21, 2014 4:50 AM in response to jerstra

WOW!!! it worked!!! Thank you very much!!!!

Mail won't save my iCloud password after update to Mavericks