What is the Sign in with Apple Feature and How Do I Use It?
First announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Sign in with Apple lets you log into a site or app using only your Apple ID.
There’s a new way to securely sign into participating apps and websites using a universal login. The “Sign in with Apple” feature competes with similar products offered by companies like Google and Facebook. Here’s a look at the new tool and how you can use it.
A New Secure Universal Sign In
First announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Sign in with Apple lets you log into a site or app using only your Apple ID. In doing so, you no longer need to establish a new username and password or fill out time-consuming forms. Instead, you can sign in quickly using Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
Created with privacy in mind, Sign in with Apple introduces Apple’s new private email relay service, Hide My Email. Under the service, when apps and websites ask for your name and email, they’ll receive a unique and random address. Messages you receive go to your email. That way, you can still receive useful emails, but because they don’t have your real email address, you can turn the messages off at any time.
As a bonus, Sign in with Apple doesn’t allow profile tracking while you visit your favorite apps and websites, unlike similar offerings.
Requirements for Sign in with Apple
To use Sign in with Apple across supported apps and websites, you must use Apple’s two-step authentication with your Apple ID. Additionally, you need to be signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID on your device. Additionally, your device must use iOS 13 or later, iPadOS 13 or later, watchOS 6 or later, macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, and tvOS 13 or later with participating websites in Safari. You can also use Sign in with Apple with other web browsers and on other platforms, such as Android and Microsoft Windows.
Using Sign in to Apple On App
Apps that support the new feature will have the Sign in to Apple icon on the login page. To get started:
- Tap on the Sign in to Apple icon on the supported app.
- Select either Select My Email or Hide My Email as your selection.
- Choose Continue.
- Confirm using Face ID, Touch ID, or your password
With Select My Email, the app developer will receive your actual email address; with Hide My Email, they’ll receive a random address instead.
Using Sign in to Apple On Non-Apple Devices and the Web
Sign in to Apple works in about the same way on other types of devices and through non-Safari web browsers.
- On a supported app or site, click Sign in with Apple or Continue with Apple.
- Log into your Apple ID.
- Click the right-ward pointing arrow.
- Add your Apple ID password.
- Click the right-ward pointing arrow.
- Follow the final directions, which may differ depending on the site.
Hide My Email with Sign in with Apple
Apple’s new private email relay service, Hide My Email, is the most significant selling point for Apple’s new sign-in tool. When you use Sign in with Apple and choose this option, a developer or company doesn’t receive your actual email address, which means it can’t be used for advertising purposes. Instead, they receive what amounts to a dummy email, which you can delete at any time.
When you choose to Hide My Email, the unique address you (and the developer) receive takes the format, <unique-alphanumeric-string>@privaterelay.appleid.com. For another layer of privacy, Apple doesn’t read or process any of the content in email messages using the service. Additionally, email messages are deleted from the company’s servers once they’re delivered.
You can change the email that receives forwarded messages from a developer at any time. You can also turn forwarding off to stop receiving emails.
Change Your Forwarding Email address
You can change the forwarding email through iCloud settings on iOS/iPadOS and at iCloud.com. Changes made on one device carry across all others.
To change the email address on your mobile device:
- Go into the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name at the top.
- Choose Name, Phone Numbers, Email.
- Tap Forward To under Hide My Email.
- Choose the new email. The email must already be tied to your iCloud account.
To change the email address on iCloud.com:
- Login at https://appleid.apple.com.
- Choose Edit next to Account.
- Change email under Hide My Email. The email must already be tied to your iCloud account (including aliases).
Turn Off Forwarding
If you no longer want to receive emails from developers through Sign in with Apple, you can turn the feature off through both iOS/iPadOS and iCloud.
To stop email forwarding on your mobile device:
- Tap on the Settings app on your device.
- Choose your name at the top.
- Tap Password & Security.
- Click Apps Using Your Apple ID.
- Tap the app that you want to change.
- Untoggle Forward To.
To stop email forwarding on iCloud.com:
- Login at https://appleid.apple.com.
- Choose Manage below Apps & Websites Using Apple ID.
- Tap the app you wish to change.
- Choose Turn Off under Forward To.
Stop Using Sign in with Apple
If you decide to no longer use Sign in with Apple for supported apps, you can turn them off through your iOS or iPadOS device.
- Go into the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name at the top.
- Choose Password & Security.
- Tap Apps Using Your Apple ID.
- Choose the app you wish to change.
- Select Stop Using Apple ID.
The next time you attempt to log into the app, you’ll need to create a new account.
The Biggest Unknown
It’s early days for Sign in with Apple, and so far, there’s only a handful of apps and websites using the service. It remains to be seen whether the tool becomes as popular as those offered elsewhere. Because of the built-in security and privacy techniques it employees, Sign in with Apple could have a bright future, assuming Apple can convince developers to get on board.
