Most readers will have at some point received a two-factor authentication code delivered to them by SMS text message. Many apps and websites send the one-time codes to confirm that the person attempting to log in to an account is the legitimate account holder, and not just someone using a stolen password.
Depending on how notifications are set up on your iPhone, receiving a code via text message may mean that you have to switch out from the app or website to read the message and memorize or copy the code, and then switch back to paste it or type it into the login screen manually.
To make this process less of a hassle, Apple is introducing Security Code AutoFill for iOS 12. The new feature ensures that SMS one-time passcodes that you receive instantly appear as AutoFill suggestions in the QuickType bar above the virtual keyboard, letting you input them in the passcode field with a simple tap.
If you've enabled Text Message Forwarding on your iPhone, you can use the Secure Code AutoFill feature in macOS Mojave, too. The code should appear in Safari as an AutoFill option in the relevant field as soon as the SMS is delivered to Messages on your Mac.
iOS and macOS use local data detector heuristics to work out whether an incoming message carries a security code, and Apple says the Security Code AutoFill feature does not alter the security of this two-factor authentication method.
So as long as developers craft their secure code text messages correctly, Security Code AutoFill should work in all third-party apps updated for iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, which are due for official public release this fall.
Depending on how notifications are set up on your iPhone, receiving a code via text message may mean that you have to switch out from the app or website to read the message and memorize or copy the code, and then switch back to paste it or type it into the login screen manually.
To make this process less of a hassle, Apple is introducing Security Code AutoFill for iOS 12. The new feature ensures that SMS one-time passcodes that you receive instantly appear as AutoFill suggestions in the QuickType bar above the virtual keyboard, letting you input them in the passcode field with a simple tap.
If you've enabled Text Message Forwarding on your iPhone, you can use the Secure Code AutoFill feature in macOS Mojave, too. The code should appear in Safari as an AutoFill option in the relevant field as soon as the SMS is delivered to Messages on your Mac.
iOS and macOS use local data detector heuristics to work out whether an incoming message carries a security code, and Apple says the Security Code AutoFill feature does not alter the security of this two-factor authentication method.
So as long as developers craft their secure code text messages correctly, Security Code AutoFill should work in all third-party apps updated for iOS 12 and macOS Mojave, which are due for official public release this fall.
Related Roundups: macOS Mojave, iOS 12
Tag: security
12 comments
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
22 weeks ago
Not working for me. I'm not currently testing on my phone, although when I did try it a few weeks ago it didn't work there either. Running 10.14 dev beta 7.
This is the SMS I got:
mTAN for your new login:123456
And attached is a pic showing the field that expects it. No auto-fill available. It's a shame, as it would be a great feature. Hopefully they'll enhance it over time as Apple learns the format of various SMS authentication texts.
This is the SMS I got:
mTAN for your new login:123456
And attached is a pic showing the field that expects it. No auto-fill available. It's a shame, as it would be a great feature. Hopefully they'll enhance it over time as Apple learns the format of various SMS authentication texts.
Apple on Tuesday released new Smart Battery Cases for the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR, offering a convenient but expensive way for iPhone users to get additional battery life.
The Smart Battery...
Major Apple suppliers in Asia have been cutting their 2019 sales forecasts and some have cited an "extraordinary" drop in Chinese demand, reports Nikkei.
Taiwan Semiconductor...
Apple has inked a deal for a 10 episode season for an as-of-yet untitled science fiction series from Simon Kinberg and David Weil, reports Deadline.
Simon Kinberg is known primarily for his work...
While recent reports have suggested Intel will supply Apple with 5G modems for 2020 iPhones, the chipmaker has struggled with its consumer 5G modems, to the extent that Apple has allegedly "been...
The next-generation iPhone XR will feature a 4x4 MIMO antenna design, according to a Barclays research note obtained by MacRumors.
4x4 MIMO, short for multiple-input, multiple-output, has the...
Apple is said to be launching two new tablets in the first half of this year, including the rumored "iPad mini 5" as well as a likely replacement for its current entry-level iPad.
...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Wednesday introduced the American Data Dissemination Act, legislation that would require the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to submit detailed recommendations for...
Samsung is planning to announce its new 2019 flagship smartphones on February 20, but ahead of their debut date, benchmarks of the new S10+ model were shared on Slashleaks.
According to the...
