When your Apple ID is protected with two-step verification, you'll need an app-specific password to sign in to your email account.
Step 1: Turn On Two-Factor Authentication / Generate an App-Specific Password
- Login at iCloud online
- In the Security section, turn on Two-Factor Authentication.
- Under the App-Specific Passwords section, click Generate Password.
- Enter a label, such as "Postbox."
- Copy the password that is provided. You'll need it later!
IMPORTANT: The app-specific password will be in the following exact format: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx, for example, dksi-umcn-pqcz-kdit. If your password does not have this format, you are most likely using your iCloud password, which will not work for your email account. Please use an app-specific password.
Step 2: Use the New Password within Postbox
- First, we need to ensure that an existing password doesn't exist. In Postbox, go to Preferences > Security > Passwords > Saved Passwords. If you see incoming and outgoing servers for your iCloud account listed here, select each and click the Remove button. Then restart Postbox.
- Enter your new Apple App-Specific Passwords when prompted for both incoming and outgoing servers.
NOTE: You'll need to send a message from the account to trigger the password prompt for the outgoing server.
Please see Using App-Specific Passwords for more information or visit Apple Support.
Server Settings
Incoming:
- Account Type: IMAP
- Server Name: imap.mail.me.com
- Port: 993
- User Name: (for example, emilyparker, not emilyparker@icloud.com)
- Connection Security: SSL/TLS
- Authentication: Password
Outgoing:
- Server Name: smtp.mail.me.com
- Port: 587
- Connection Security: STARTTLS
- Authentication: Password
If you cannot connect, please check Apple's System Status.
Notes:
Please note that you cannot set up iCloud aliases as email accounts. You must set up your master iCloud account and aliases within that account.