this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2023
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Apple

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21
Hide My Email - Too much friction? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by michaelporter@lemmy.ca to c/apple_enthusiast@lemmy.world
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Request for advice at the end of this!

I want to use a throwaway email, using iCloud's Hide My Email, in a web form.

How it is (I think):

  • Open System Settings (which always seems to default to Appearance, for some reason)
  • Click on Name/Apple ID
  • Click on iCloud
  • Click on Hide My Email
  • Click "+"
  • Fill in a label (I usually just put the URL)
  • Click Continue
  • Click Copy address
  • Go back to web form and paste.

9 steps! Or 10, depending on how you're counting.

How it should be:

  • I click or right-click on the email field in the web form
  • My Mac asks me if I want to create a new email, I click yes (A new email is created, filled in, and registered in my list of email aliases, with no further input from me)

2 steps.

Apple really likes to suggest that things "just work" so they hide things. I think they've lost their way with respect to usability. Sorry, ranting.

Request(s) for advice

Is the quick method already possible somewhere in the UI, and I'm just missing it? If it isn't already there, does anyone have a solution, say a script for a service, that would accomplish this?

I would appreciate any advice, instructions, or even just commiseration on hidden UIs. Thanks 😊

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[–] malloc@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

On macOS (and iOS), you have to use Safari. When you are filling out the form, usually it should show a list of common emails to auto fill but you can scroll to the bottom and select “hide my email” to generate one.

Some website forms are not configured correctly or use janky HTML hacks (so it’s not recognized as an email field), so you have to generate it manually as you describe.

[–] michaelporter@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Tried a couple of sites, it didn't work. Nothing happened on clicking, other than activation the insertion cursor.

[–] malloc@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

strange, are you on macOS 12 or later?

https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/set-up-hide-my-email-mm9d9012c9e8/icloud

In Safari: Open a website, click in an email field, then click Hide My Email to generate a new random email address or use one you’ve already created for the website.

This works as expected for me. I have tested this on lemmy.world sign up page as well