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(Re)Enable iCloud password for login on OS X El Capitan 10.11.4 and higher

A number of users have accepted the novelty option to use the iCloud password to login to OS X during the last versions of OS X. However, that feature went AWOL in the OS X 10.11.4 update.

Users that had this turned on prior to 10.11.4 can still benefit from this functionality but when once turned off to Use Separate Password one cannot switch to iCloud back again. The UI for changing the password in Users & Groups preferences looks eerily similar to old(er) versions of OS X.

If you still want to go back to using iCloud password you will have to revert to manual change in Terminal.

$ sudo dscl . append /Users/someuser AuthenticationAuthority “;AppleID;someappleid@me.com”

Obviously replace someuser with your account name and someappleid@me.com to your iCloud address.

What you essentially accomplish with the command is to append AppleID as an Authentication Authority and specify which Apple ID it is supposed to authenticate against.

After the change and a restart you will, upon clicking on the Change Password... in the Users & Groups preferences see different behaviour dialog:

Additionally, the user information there shows an Apple ID below the account name, which is not present when a separate password is used for login.

Hopefully you will find this info as useful as I do.

As always, feedback, credits and (constructive) criticism to Boris Herman.

© 2016 by Boris Herman. Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved.

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