Secure credentials for email apps (app passwords, OAuth, 2FA)

Email accounts are high-value targets. The safest way to connect a third-party app or service is to grant only the access it needs, keep that access revocable, and avoid sharing your primary password. This guide explains the common credential types and why a service like MagicForward typically requires an IMAP app password.

Three common ways apps access your mailbox

1) Your normal password (avoid if possible)

Using your primary mailbox password in a third-party app is the least desirable option:

• It’s “all-or-nothing”: your password usually grants broad access to your account.
• Harder to revoke safely: changing it logs out other devices and can be disruptive.
• Higher blast radius: if it leaks, an attacker can often do more than just read mail.

2) OAuth (modern preference, but with some friction)

OAuth is the modern standard for granting third parties access without sharing your password. You authenticate directly with the email provider (in the provider’s UI), and the provider issues tokens to the app.

• Granular scopes: you can often grant only specific permissions.
• Revocable: you can revoke the app’s access without changing your primary password.
• Auditable: many providers show a list of authorized apps and recent access.

OAuth is designed to work with long-running services, but in practice, users often have to periodically re-authenticate.

3) App passwords (good, practical middle ground)

An app password is a special password generated by your email provider for “legacy” access methods like IMAP. It’s typically available only when you have 2-factor authentication (2FA) enabled.

Think of an app password as: “a dedicated key for one app or service”. It lets you revoke that one key later without changing your primary password.

• Scoped by protocol: commonly used for IMAP/SMTP where OAuth isn’t used.
• Revocable: you can delete it if a device is lost or a service is no longer needed.
• Compatible: works with standard mail libraries and servers.

Why a service like MagicForward needs an app password

MagicForward delivers mail by inserting (appending) messages into your mailbox via IMAP. That requires a login that the IMAP server will accept.

The key point is that MagicForward is acting like a mail client (an IMAP client) on your behalf. For IMAP access, many providers’ recommended approach is an app password: it keeps 2FA enabled on your account, avoids sharing your primary password, and gives you a dedicated credential you can revoke at any time.

OAuth can also be used in some ecosystems (and is great when available), but the availability and setup varies by provider and account type. App passwords are the broadly compatible, provider-supported way to authorize standard IMAP access.

Your normal password is the wrong tool here: even if it “works,” it’s higher risk and often blocked when 2FA is enabled. App passwords exist specifically so you can keep 2FA on and still allow IMAP access for trusted software.

How to do this safely

Enable 2FA first

Treat 2FA as the baseline for email security. App passwords are commonly available only after 2FA is enabled.

Create a dedicated app password per service

Create a unique app password for each app/service (mail client, automation, etc.). Name it clearly (for example, “MagicForward IMAP”).

Don’t even store it

The safest habit is to generate an app password, copy it once, paste it directly into the app/service that needs it, and then close the page. If you ever need it again, revoke it and generate a new one.

Avoid sending app passwords to yourself, putting them in notes, or pasting them into shared documents.

Rotate and revoke when needed

If you suspect compromise, or you stop using a service, revoke the app password in your provider’s security settings. This is much cleaner than changing your primary password and re-authenticating every device.

Watch for “helpful” security middleboxes

Some workplace or school accounts sit behind gateways that add banners, rewrite subjects, or enforce policy. Those systems can interact with mail reliability (and forwarding) in surprising ways. If you’re debugging missing mail, this guide pairs well with: Mail security: SPF, DKIM, DMARC — and why forwarding can break it.