Apple could make iCloud sign-ins easier with Face ID and Touch ID

Face ID
Image credit: Apple (Image credit: Apple)

Signing into the iCloud website may soon get a lot simpler from an iPhone, iPad or Mac browser, with Apple working on bringing biometric login support to the service in iOS 13, iPadOS and macOS Catalina.

According to 9to5Mac, testers who are already using beta versions of Apple's upcoming operating systems now have the ability to sign into iCloud.com via Touch ID and Face ID, adding an additional level of convenience to the login process. 

A pop-up window on the Cupertino company's new beta.icloud.com reportedly offers beta users on compatible devices the ability to sign-in via Touch ID or Face ID without the need for two-factor authentication – makes sense, given that Apple's biometric security is far stronger than a manually typed-out password.

According to 9to5Mac, the new biometric sign-in method is likely connected to the tech giant's upcoming Sign In with Apple tool, which is currently in beta and is scheduled to publicly launch in September. The tool is said to make it "easy for users to sign in to your apps and websites using their Apple ID."

Apple has been pushing for tougher online privacy measures for years now, following Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal and its own iCloud breach from 2014, and bringing biometric security to iCloud seems like a good idea from where we're standing.

Stephen Lambrechts
Senior Journalist, Phones and Entertainment

Stephen primarily covers phones and entertainment for TechRadar's Australian team, and has written professionally across the categories of tech, film, television and gaming in both print and online for over a decade. He's obsessed with smartphones, televisions, consoles and gaming PCs, and has a deep-seated desire to consume all forms of media at the highest quality possible. 

He's also likely to talk a person’s ear off at the mere mention of Android, cats, retro sneaker releases, travelling and physical media, such as vinyl and boutique Blu-ray releases. Right now, he's most excited about QD-OLED technology, The Batman and Hellblade 2: Senua's Saga.

Latest in Cloud Computing
A hand holding an iPhone with the iCloud logo on screen.
Apple tipped to give us new ‘Confetti’ iCloud feature, but we’re still stuck with a measly 5GB storage
A hand holding an iPhone with the iCloud logo on screen.
Apple hit by huge iCloud 'lock in' lawsuit that accuses it of 'rip-off prices'
PC Gamer looking happy
Nvidia’s GeForce Now Priority membership has upgraded to ‘Performance’ - introducing a 1440p resolution and ultrawide support
Two phones on a pink and purple background showing the Google Photos app
Google Photos is rolling out AI-powered search now – and it could be its biggest upgrade in years
Two phones on a pink and purple background showing the Google Photos app
Google Photos gets a massive search upgrade – and opens its waitlist for Black Mirror-style ‘Ask Photos’ feature
Image of AI data centres created using generative AI
5 ways AI is going to disrupt the data center as we know it forever
Latest in News
An American flag flying outside the US Capitol building against a blue sky
Sean Plankey selected as CISA director by President Trump
An Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 on a table with its retail packaging
Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU spotted in Acer gaming PC, suggesting rumors of imminent launch are correct – and that it’ll run with only 8GB of video RAM
Indiana Jones talking to a friend in a university setting with a jaunty smile on his face
New leak claims Indiana Jones and the Great Circle PS5 release will come in April
A close up of the limited edition vinyl turntable wrist watch from AndoAndoAndo
This limited-edition timepiece turns the iconic Technics SL-1200 turntable into a watch, and I want one
A close up of Gemma sitting down in Severance season 2 episode 7
'I'm like Gemma – I'm in the dark': Severance star Dichen Lachman shares disappointing filming update for the popular Apple TV+ show's third season
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
Future PlayStation games could have AI-powered characters, if this leaked prototype of Aloy is anything to go by