Login.gov Authenticator App Login Help

Where to Sign In to Login.gov

Open {site} and select the sign-in option. You may also begin from the government service you were using if it sends you to Login.gov for authentication.

Before entering account information, check that the page clearly identifies Login.gov and that you reached it through the verified site or a trusted government service. Avoid sign-in pages opened from unexpected messages, advertisements, or search results that imitate the real service.

Login.gov does not require a special Login.gov authenticator app. The phrase “Login.gov authenticator app” usually means a compatible authentication application that you previously connected to your Login.gov account. Use the same application and account entry you configured during setup.

Sign In With an Authenticator App

Have your Login.gov email address, password, and the device containing your authentication application ready. The application generates a new six-digit security code for each sign-in.

1. Go to the official sign-in page and enter the email address connected to your Login.gov account.
2. Enter your password and select Sign in.
3. When asked for an authentication method, choose Authentication application if it is not already selected.
4. Open the authentication application on your device.
5. Find the entry associated with Login.gov. If the app contains several accounts, check the label carefully.
6. Enter the current six-digit code shown for that entry, then submit it before it changes.

A login gov app authentication code is temporary. You do not need an internet connection or cellular service for many authentication applications to display a code, but your device clock must be accurate. Never send the code to another person or enter it anywhere except the legitimate sign-in screen you opened.

If the Authentication Code Does Not Work

Wait for the application to generate a fresh code, then enter the new six digits promptly. A code near the end of its display period may expire while you are typing or submitting it.

If a new code is rejected, check these common causes:

• Your phone, tablet, or computer has the wrong date, time, or time zone. Turn on automatic date and time, then reopen the authentication application.
• You selected the wrong entry in the app. Use the entry connected to this Login.gov account, especially if you have several similar entries.
• A digit was copied incorrectly. Read the entire current code again and avoid using an older code from memory or a screenshot.
• The app entry was restored, transferred, or recreated without remaining connected to the account. An entry that looks correct may not contain the original setup information.

After repeated rejection, stop retrying briefly and review the on-screen message. Try another authentication method already attached to the account. If the application itself cannot produce usable codes, consult its developer’s support guidance; Login.gov cannot repair a third-party authentication application.

Using Backup Authentication Methods

On the authentication screen, select Choose another security option to see methods previously added to your account. The choices shown depend on what you configured and may include face or touch unlock, a security key, a text or voice code, backup codes, or a government employee identification card.

Choose a method you still control and follow the instructions displayed. A backup code can be used only once, so select an unused code from the set Login.gov generated for you. Keep backup codes private and stored safely.

After signing in with an alternative method, review the authentication methods in your account. Remove a lost device or unusable authenticator entry, then add and confirm a replacement. Keeping at least two current methods can prevent another lockout.

Recovering Access to the Account

If you lost your phone or removed the authentication application, first look for Choose another security option during sign-in. Use any method that was already connected to the account. Installing another authentication application by itself will not recreate the original connection.

If you can sign in with a backup method, manage the lost authentication method from your account page. Delete the method you no longer control and enable a new one by following the setup prompts.

If the authentication application was your only usable method, Login.gov cannot unlock the account, provide a replacement code, or sign in for you. The official option is to request deletion of the inaccessible account and then create a new account. From the authentication screen, choose another security option and follow the account-deletion link and all instructions shown. Read the warnings carefully because deleting the Login.gov account removes its sign-in credentials. Follow only the messages sent through the official process.

If you still have an open, trusted session on another device, review your account methods there before starting deletion. Do not remove a working method until a replacement has been added and confirmed.

Contacting Login.gov Support

Open {site} and find the Contact or Help section. Choose the topic for trouble signing in or problems with authentication applications, then use the support option presented there.

Prepare the email address associated with the account, the type of authentication method involved, the device and authentication application you use, the exact error message, and a short description of what happened. You may also state whether Choose another security option appears and whether another method is available.

Do not include your password, current authentication code, backup codes, setup key, QR code, security-key secret, or full sensitive identity information. Legitimate support should not need those secrets and cannot bypass multi-factor authentication. If anyone asks for a live code or password, stop the conversation and return to the official support area yourself.