iCloud Mail connects to PressedMail with an app-specific password. Your Apple Account password will not work, and two-factor authentication must be on before Apple lets you create one. This guide covers both and the one detail that catches people: the username.
iCloud Mail appears in the provider list of paid builds. Free lists Gmail, Outlook/Hotmail and Custom Email, so a Free site connects iCloud through Custom email with the same server settings. Both routes are below.
Before you start
Check these three things first.
- Two-factor authentication is on for your Apple Account. Apple requires it for app-specific passwords.
- Mail works in iCloud on the web or on a device, so you know the account is healthy.
- You have your full iCloud address, such as one ending in icloud.com.
Apple documents the server details in iCloud Mail server settings for other email client apps. The steps below follow what PressedMail shows on its own screen.
Pick iCloud in PressedMail
Open the settings with the Settings icon, go to the Accounts tab and choose Add Account. On the provider screen, choose App password on the iCloud Mail card.
- The progress bar. This is step 1 of 3.
- Cancel.
- Gmail.
- Setup docs. Every card has one.
- Outlook/Hotmail.
- Custom email.
- The Experimental badge on the Proton Mail card.
- Back.
iCloud Mail is on the second row, between Yahoo Mail and Proton Mail.
Create the app-specific password
The next step shows Apple’s instructions next to the form.
- The instructions. Make sure two-factor authentication is on, open your Apple Account, go to Sign-In and Security, then App-Specific Passwords, and create one named PressedMail.
- A note about the username. It is usually your full iCloud address. If sign-in fails, try only the part before the @.
- Two links, Apple Account and Apple’s guide to app-specific passwords. Both open in a new tab.
- Your email address.
- The app-specific password. Paste it with the dashes exactly as Apple shows them.
- Next.
The values in the picture are placeholders. Apple shows the password with dashes, so paste it straight into the field.
Review the servers and test
The next screen shows the iCloud servers the preset fills in.
| Connection | Server | Port | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming (IMAP) | imap.mail.me.com | 993 | SSL/TLS |
| Outgoing (SMTP) | smtp.mail.me.com | 587 | STARTTLS |
Choose Test Connection and read the incoming and outgoing results one at a time. The IMAP and SMTP explanation shows why they can disagree. Save the account once both pass.
On a Free site
Choose Custom email, then Set up. Enter your iCloud address, the app-specific password and the two servers from the table. Use STARTTLS for the outgoing server on port 587. The custom IMAP guide walks through that form field by field.
The username question
Apple’s server settings page says to use your full iCloud address. PressedMail’s own hint adds a fallback: if sign-in fails with the full address, try just the part before the @. Try the full address first, change it once if it fails, and stop. Repeated wrong attempts will not make the right one succeed.
Check it works
Let the first sync finish. Open Inbox and look for a message you can see in iCloud. Then send a short plain-text message to another address you control and reply to it. The send and receive walkthrough explains what each result proves.
If sign-in fails
- Check that you used an app-specific password and not your Apple Account password. PressedMail’s error says so when it sees an iCloud host.
- Check that the dashes are in the password exactly as Apple showed them.
- Check that two-factor authentication is still on for the Apple Account.
- If you get a timeout instead of a rejection, the problem is the network path from your server. The delivery troubleshooting guide separates those cases.
Keep the password safe
An app-specific password lets whoever has it read the mailbox. PressedMail encrypts stored credentials. The copy you paste stays readable until you close the page, so paste it once and do not keep it in a note or a message. You can remove it from your Apple Account if you want to disconnect.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my Apple Account password?
No. Apple requires an app-specific password for this connection.
Does PressedMail replace iCloud Mail?
No. Apple keeps hosting the mailbox. Changes you make in a connected client can show up in iCloud too, so test with harmless mail first.
Does this send my WordPress site’s own email?
No. Connecting a mailbox is separate from WordPress Email. The SMTP setup guide covers site mail.
Can I connect several iCloud addresses?
Several mailboxes need a paid plan. Free connects one mailbox per site.
Manage your email inside WordPress
PressedMail Free adds an email client directly to your WordPress dashboard. Connect a compatible IMAP/SMTP mailbox, read and send mail, organize messages, and configure WordPress SMTP.
