Securely Sign In to Websites & Apps Using Your Apple ID

* This article is from our Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

The Sign in with Apple button lets you use your Apple ID to sign in to websites and their associated apps securely, privately, and without the hassle of a million different passwords to keep track of. Sign in with Apple looks just like the Sign in with Google and Sign in with Facebook buttons you often see when creating new accounts, but unlike Google and Facebook, Apple doesn’t give away any of your information—no advertising profiles, no usage statistics. Read on to find out how to use Login with Apple to secure and simplify your online life.

Why You'll Love This Tip:

  • Quickly sign up for websites or apps without having to enter the same information over and over again.
  • Create a private account for websites and apps by hiding your email.

How to Log In with Apple ID

System Requirements

This tip works on iPhones, iPads, and Macs running the latest software. However, the steps below were created on iPhone. Find out how to update to the latest version of iOS.

To use Sign in with Apple, you'll need an Apple ID with two-factor authentication enabled and a strong password. If you do not have a strong password, I recommend doing an iCloud password reset and switching to a more secure password. All Apple IDs now come with two-factor authentication by default, so this should already be on. Here's how to sign in with Apple ID on iPhone:

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Note

Not all apps and websites support Sign in with Apple yet, but more and more will soon. Keep an eye out for the option when creating new accounts.

  1. Either navigate to a supported website or open an app that supports Sign in with Apple. For demonstration purposes, I'll use the WordPress app.

    iphone spotlight search with a red box around wordpress app
  2. Tap Log in or sign up with WordPress.com. Depending on the website or app, this will probably look different.

    iphone wordpress app with a red box around Log in or sign up with WordPress.com button
  3. Tap Continue with Apple. This is the Sign in with Apple button. If you don’t see it, then try updating the app in the App Store.

    iphone wordpress app with a red box around continue with apple button
  4. You’ll be presented with an info card showing what name you’ll be sharing, and asking whether you want to share your email or hide your email from the app. For the greatest privacy, I recommend tapping Hide My Email.

    iphone sign in with apple pop up with a red box around hide my email option
  5. You can also tap Share My Email if you want to share your email address instead. If you have more than one email address associated with your Apple ID, you can select the one you want.

    iphone sign in with apple pop up with a red box around share my email options
  6. You can also tap your name and edit your first and last name. This can be useful if you want to hide your real name from an app or website.

    iphone sign in with apple pop up with a red box around name box, indicating that a user can select the box to edit their name
  7. Tap Continue at the bottom of the screen.

    iphone sign in with apple pop up with a red box around continue button
  8. Use Face ID or tap continue with passcode and enter your device code if Face ID fails. Don't worry: Apple doesn't share your device code or your Face ID/Touch ID information with the third-party app. You will then be logged in to your new account.  

    iphone sign in with apple pop up with a red box around Face ID icon
  9. In the future, when you want to log in, just look for the Continue with Apple button and tap it.

    iphone wordpress app with a red box around continue with apple button
  10. You'll see a card stating your Apple ID email. Tap Sign In at the bottom. Face ID will do its thing (or use Touch ID or enter your device code), and you'll be logged in privately, securely, and without hassle.

    iphone sign in with apple pop up with a red box around sign in button

That's how to use login with Apple ID. It’s that easy! You can use Sign in with Apple anywhere you see the option listed. Note that this service is for creating new accounts. If you already have an account, and want to switch to using Sign up with Apple with it, then you will probably have to cancel your existing account and start a new one. You can change your Sign In with Apple email, if you'd like to do that instead. Hopefully Apple will convince app developers to let us convert our existing accounts to Sign in with Apple; but until then, we can enjoy the benefits whenever we download a new app that requires authentication.

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Author Details

Cullen Thomas's picture

Author Details

Cullen Thomas

Cullen Thomas is a senior instructor at iPhone Life. For ten years as faculty at Maharishi University, Cullen taught subjects ranging from camera and audio hardware to game design. Cullen applies a passion for gadgetry to answer questions about iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple cloud services; to teach live classes; and to specialize in the privacy and security aspects of the Apple ecosystem. Cullen has dual degrees in Media & Communications and Literature, and a Masters degree from the David Lynch Graduate School of Cinematic Arts.

Offline, Cullen designs videogames with Thought Spike Games, writes fiction, and studies new nerdery.

Mastodon: @CullenWritesTech@infosec.exchange

Email: cullen@iphonelife.com

Signal: +1-512-814-5526