CalDAV app passwords

Why you need one, and how to generate one for your provider.

CalDAV providers require app-specific passwords — not your main account password — to allow third-party apps like SYNCDATE to access your calendar. This is a security best practice enforced at the provider level. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, your main password will not work at all; an app-specific password is the only way to connect.

Apple iCloud
Apple requires a 2FA app-specific password for CalDAV access.
  1. Go to appleid.apple.com and sign in.
  2. In "Sign-In and Security", choose "App-Specific Passwords".
  3. Click "Generate an app-specific password", label it "SYNCDATE", and confirm.
  4. Copy the 16-character password (format: xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx) and paste it into SYNCDATE.
  5. Your Apple ID email is your username. The server URL is filled in automatically.
Fastmail
Fastmail uses scoped app passwords with CalDAV-only access.
  1. Go to app.fastmail.com/settings/security/tokens after signing in.
  2. Click "New app password".
  3. Give it a name like "SYNCDATE" and select "Calendars (CalDAV)" as the scope.
  4. Click "Generate password" and copy the token.
  5. Use your Fastmail email as the username. The server URL is filled in automatically.
Nextcloud
Nextcloud generates app passwords under your personal Settings → Security.
  1. Sign in to your Nextcloud instance, click your avatar (top-right), and open "Settings" → "Security".
  2. Scroll to "Devices & sessions" and enter "SYNCDATE" as the app name.
  3. Click "Create new app password" and copy the generated token.
  4. In SYNCDATE, enter your Nextcloud username, the app password, and the full server URL (e.g., https://cloud.example.com). Nextcloud is the only CalDAV provider where you must enter the server URL manually.
Need help?
If you run into trouble connecting, our support team can help.
Go to the support page
CalDAV app passwords | SYNCDATE