Login.gov for Social Security Account Access

To access Social Security online services, open {site}, select the sign-in option, and choose Login.gov. Use your Login.gov email address, password, and authentication method—not a separate Social Security password.

How does Login.gov work with Social Security?

Login.gov is a secure sign-in service used by federal agencies. It verifies your credentials and authentication method before returning you to the Social Security Administration, or SSA, where your Social Security information is stored.

Your Login.gov credentials consist of the email address and password registered with Login.gov. You also need an authentication method, which is a second way to confirm that the person signing in is you.

Login.gov and ID.me are different accounts. Choose the provider you previously connected to Social Security. An old Social Security username and password may not work in the Login.gov fields.

How do I sign in to Social Security through Login.gov?

1. Open {site} and select the option to sign in to your Social Security account.
2. Choose Login.gov from the available sign-in methods. Check that the page identifies Login.gov before entering credentials.
3. Enter the email address and password for your Login.gov account.
4. Complete authentication using one of the methods already registered with Login.gov.
5. Review any consent or information-sharing screen carefully, then continue to Social Security.
6. Confirm that you have reached your Social Security account before viewing or changing personal information.

If Login.gov accepts your credentials but Social Security does not open, return to the official SSA sign-in page and begin again. Do not use a search advertisement or a link from an unexpected message.

How do I create and link a Login.gov account?

Create Login.gov credentials only through the Login.gov option reached from the official Social Security sign-in process. Have access to your email and at least one supported authentication method before starting.

1. Choose Login.gov on the Social Security sign-in page, then select the option to create an account.
2. Enter an email address you control and confirm it through the message sent by Login.gov.
3. Create a unique password that you do not use for other accounts.
4. Add an authentication method and save any recovery information shown during setup in a secure place.
5. Continue back to Social Security and follow the prompts to connect the new Login.gov account.
6. Provide identity information only on an official government page. Social Security may compare the information entered with government records before allowing access.

Identity verification is the process of matching you to government records. If the information cannot be verified, check it against your official records instead of repeatedly guessing or creating several accounts.

What if I forgot my Login.gov password or lost my authentication method?

For a forgotten password, use the password-recovery option on the official Login.gov sign-in screen. You must be able to receive messages at the email address attached to the account.

If one authentication method is unavailable, choose another method that you previously added. Recovery codes work only if they were generated for your account and kept securely.

If you cannot use any registered authentication method, follow the account-recovery guidance displayed by Login.gov. Login.gov may require an inaccessible account to be deleted before a new one can be created. Deleting and recreating Login.gov access can require you to verify your identity and reconnect the new account to Social Security.

Never send a password, authentication code, or recovery code to someone claiming that they can restore the account for you.

What should I do if Login.gov verification fails or Social Security will not open?

• No verification code: Confirm that the selected authentication method is available, request a fresh code, and use only the newest code. Check message filtering and the device’s date and time.
• Code rejected: Enter the code exactly as shown before it expires. Do not reuse a code from an earlier attempt.
• Account locked or inaccessible: Stop repeated attempts and use the recovery instructions shown by Login.gov. Avoid creating another account unless the official process directs you to do so.
• Browser loop or blank page: Close duplicate tabs, allow required cookies, and try a current browser. Private browsing, content blockers, or an in-app browser can interrupt the return from Login.gov to Social Security.
• Unexpected redirect: Close the page and restart from the official SSA sign-in page. Do not continue if the address or page branding looks unrelated to a United States government service.
• Account will not link: Confirm that you selected the sign-in provider previously associated with Social Security. If Login.gov authentication succeeds but SSA cannot match or link the account, contact Social Security rather than changing Login.gov credentials.

Should I contact Login.gov or Social Security for sign-in help?

Contact Login.gov support for problems with your Login.gov email address, password, authentication methods, recovery codes, account deletion, or the Login.gov verification screen. Use the help and contact options displayed on Login.gov.

Contact the Social Security Administration for problems that begin after Login.gov signs you in, including identity-record mismatches, linking Login.gov to an existing Social Security account, or accessing Social Security account features. Use the official contact options presented by SSA.

Neither support team should ask you to send your password or verification code. Do not post private identity information in public support forums or social-media replies.

How can I recognize a real Login.gov Social Security sign-in page?

Start login.gov for Social Security access from the official SSA page or by entering the government service name yourself. Official federal pages use government-controlled addresses and secure browser connections, but a familiar logo alone does not prove that a page is genuine.

• Do not sign in through unsolicited email, text, social-media, or search-ad links.
• Check the browser address before entering Login.gov credentials and again after returning to Social Security.
• Use a unique Login.gov password and protect the email account connected to Login.gov.
• Keep more than one authentication method when Login.gov offers that option.
• Store recovery codes away from the device used to sign in, and never share them.
• Review authentication methods and recovery information after changing a phone, email account, or security device.

A caller or message that asks for your Login.gov password or a current verification code is not completing a normal sign-in. End the contact and return to the official government service yourself.