Login.gov Authenticator App Login Help

Sign In With an Authenticator App

Open {site} and select the sign-in option. Make sure the page identifies itself as Login.gov before entering any account information.

1. Enter the email address connected to your Login.gov account.
2. Enter your password and select Sign in.
3. Choose the authentication application option if Login.gov asks you to select a security method.
4. Open the authentication app that you linked to the account.
5. Find the Login.gov entry and enter the current six-digit code shown in the app.
6. Submit the code before it changes.

The login.gov authenticator code is a one-time code. The app creates a new one automatically, so you do not need to request it by email or text.

Set Up an Authenticator App

Login.gov does not require a special Login.gov authenticator app. You use a compatible authentication app installed on your phone, tablet, or computer.

You can choose an authentication application while creating an account. If you can already sign in, you can also add it from the authentication methods area of your account page.

1. Select the option to set up or enable an authentication application.
2. Open your authentication app and choose its command for adding an account.
3. Scan the QR code displayed by Login.gov. If scanning is unavailable, choose the manual option and enter the setup key shown on the page.
4. The app will create an entry for the account and display a six-digit code.
5. Enter that code on the Login.gov setup screen to confirm the connection.
6. Finish the prompts and verify that the new method appears among your account’s authentication methods.

Do not share the QR code, setup key, password, or generated codes. They can be used to access or connect to your account.

Find the Login.gov Code in Your App

The code appears inside the authentication app that was linked during login.gov authenticator app setup. It is not normally sent as a message, and it does not appear on the Login.gov sign-in page.

Open the authentication app and review its saved accounts. Look for an entry labeled Login.gov or for the email address connected to your account. If you have several similar entries, compare their labels carefully and use the one created for the account you are signing in to.

A code usually has a countdown indicator. Wait for a fresh code if the current one is about to change, then enter the new code promptly. Never send that code to someone claiming to provide support.

Fix an Invalid or Expired Code

If the login.gov authenticator app is not working, return to the official sign-in page and try these checks:

• Use the newest code visible in the app, not a code you copied earlier.
• Wait for the code to change if only a few seconds remain.
• Confirm that you selected the correct Login.gov entry and email account.
• Check that the phone or computer running the app has the correct date, time, and time zone. Automatic time settings can help correct a mismatch.
• Enter every digit exactly once, without using a code from a text message or another service.
• Start a fresh sign-in attempt through {site} if the page has been open for a long time.

If the authentication app will not open, has stopped generating codes, or lost its saved entries, follow the app developer’s support guidance. Login.gov cannot repair a separate company’s authentication app.

Use Another Authentication Method

If you previously connected another method, sign in with your email address and password. At the authentication step, select Choose another security option. Choose an available method that you already set up, then follow the prompts.

Possible choices depend on your account and may include face or touch unlock, a security key, a phone-based code, backup codes, or an eligible government employee ID. You cannot use a method that was never connected to the account.

After signing in, remove a lost authentication method and add an accessible replacement. Keeping more than one current method can prevent another lockout.

Recover Access to Login.gov

For login.gov authenticator account recovery, first check whether the old app data can be restored through the authentication app provider or whether another connected Login.gov method is available.

If your phone was lost but your authenticator information exists on another device, try the current code there. If the app was deleted or its Login.gov entry is gone, reinstalling the app alone may not restore the original connection.

If no connected authentication method remains, Login.gov cannot unlock the account or sign in for you. Follow the official trouble-signing-in instructions to delete the inaccessible account and create a new one. Deleting an account is a serious step, so first confirm that no backup method is available.

If you forgot your password, select the password-reset option on the sign-in page and follow the email instructions. People who previously verified their identity may be asked for their current personal key. Without it, identity verification may need to be completed again.

Contact Login.gov Support

Use the verified contact information displayed on this page or open the official Login.gov Help Center and choose Contact us. Support can explain the published sign-in and recovery process, but it cannot ask for or use your password or one-time authentication code.

Have your Login.gov email address ready, along with the name of the government agency or service you were trying to reach. Describe the exact error message, the authentication method involved, your device type, and what you already tried. Do not include your password, QR code, setup key, personal key, backup codes, or current authenticator code.