About Automatic Verification

Find out how Automatic Verification makes signing in to apps and websites more convenient, private and accessible on your iPhone, iPad or Mac.

How Automatic Verification works

Some apps and websites use a CAPTCHA — a randomly generated sequence of letters, numbers or images that asks you to identify distorted characters or select certain images — to verify that you're a human and not a robot (or bot) when you sign in. Starting in iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 and macOS Ventura, if you’ve already signed in to your Apple Account on your device, Automatic Verification will privately authenticate you to participating apps and websites, so you don’t have to complete a CAPTCHA. All you have to do is sign in to the app or site.

Automatic Verification and privacy

Automatic Verification helps protect your privacy when you sign in to an app or website. Instead of being asked to complete a CAPTCHA:

  • An Apple server will validate your device and Apple Account.

  • This verification is sent to a third-party token issuance server, which has been verified by Apple. The token issuance server will generate a private access token that can verify you to the app or website.

Apple never learns which app or website you're signing in to and can't access your browsing history. The token issuance server only knows that you’ve passed the verification, and never learns information about your device or Apple Account. The only information given to the app or website is the private access token.

Automatic Verification settings

Automatic Verification is turned on by default. If you turn off Automatic Verification on one device, it will also be turned off automatically on other devices where you’ve signed in to your Apple Account.

How to adjust Automatic Verification settings on your iPhone or iPad

  1. Go to Settings.

  2. Tap your name.

  3. Tap Sign-In & Security.

  4. Turn Automatic Verification on or off.

How to adjust Automatic Verification settings on your Mac

  1. Choose the Apple menu  > System Settings.

  2. Click your name.

  3. Click Sign-In & Security.

  4. Turn Automatic Verification on or off.

If you're still getting CAPTCHAs

  • Make sure you’ve signed in to your Apple Account on your device. Open Settings (or System Settings on Mac) and check that you can see your name.

  • Make sure you update your device to the latest software version.

  • If you get a CAPTCHA when signing in to an app or website, that app or website may not support Automatic Verification.

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