Social Security Login Changes and Account Access

What Changed With Social Security Login

Social Security no longer accepts a Social Security username and password for online access. Login.gov and ID.me are now the only sign-in options for Social Security online services, including a personal my Social Security account.

This change affects people who previously signed in only with credentials issued by Social Security. Those old credentials no longer work. If you already have a Login.gov or ID.me account, you can use that account and do not need to create another one specifically for Social Security.

Login.gov and ID.me are separate sign-in services. Each has its own password, verification methods, and account-recovery process. Your account with either provider is used to confirm your identity and connect you securely to Social Security; it does not replace your Social Security record or change your benefits.

Search phrases such as “social security login changes,” “social security log in changes,” “social security account login changes,” “social security changes login,” “social security changes to login,” “social security sign in changes,” and “social security sign on changes” all refer to this move away from the former Social Security username option.

How to Log In to Your Social Security Account

1. Open {site} rather than following a sign-in address from an email or text.
2. Select the Sign In option on the official Social Security page.
3. Choose Login.gov or ID.me. Select the provider where you already have an account, if applicable.
4. Enter the email address and password registered with that provider.
5. Complete the provider’s required verification step.
6. Follow the displayed prompts to reach your Social Security online services.

Starting at the official Social Security website is important because it sends you to the correct sign-in provider and then returns you to Social Security. Do not enter credentials on a page reached through an unexpected message.

What Existing Account Holders Need to Do

If you formerly used only a Social Security username and password, you must use Login.gov or ID.me instead. The former username cannot be used as a current sign-in credential.

If you already have either provider account, select that provider and try its existing email address and password. Do not create a duplicate account merely because you are accessing Social Security for the first time through that provider.

If you have neither account, choose a provider from the Social Security sign-in page and follow its current instructions. The provider may ask for an email address, an identity document, and a verification method. Complete identity verification only within the provider’s official process. The exact prompts depend on the provider and verification method.

After verification, follow the consent or connection prompts shown on screen. A successful connection should return you to Social Security. If the process fails, note which provider you chose and the exact error message before seeking help.

Troubleshooting Sign-In Problems

• If credentials are rejected, confirm that you are entering the password for the selected provider. A former Social Security password will not work, and Login.gov and ID.me passwords are not interchangeable.
• If a verification code does not arrive, check that the displayed destination is one you can still access. Look for another verification method already registered to the account. Avoid repeatedly requesting codes in quick succession.
• If the account is locked, stop retrying and follow the recovery instructions shown by Login.gov or ID.me. The sign-in provider, rather than Social Security, controls provider passwords and verification methods.
• If account linking fails, return to {site}, start from Sign In again, and use the same provider account. Confirm that the name and identity details you submit match your official documents.
• If the page loops, stalls, or displays incorrectly, try a currently supported version of Chrome, Edge, or Safari. Clearing that site’s cookies and cache may also help.

Never send a password, verification code, Social Security number, or identity document through ordinary email or to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

Recovering Access to Your Account

The discontinued Social Security username cannot be recovered for use as a current login. Recover access through the provider you now use.

For Login.gov, the account identifier is your registered email address. Use its documented password-reset option if you know the email address but forgot the password. If you can sign in with a backup authentication method, use the account settings to update the method you lost.

If every Login.gov authentication method is unavailable, follow the Login.gov Help Center instructions for deleting and recreating the provider account. This is a last-resort provider recovery process; do not attempt it if another registered method still works.

For ID.me, use the ID.me Help Center options for a forgotten password, an inaccessible email address, or a lost multi-factor authentication method. Follow the recovery prompts appropriate to the access you still have.

After recovering or recreating provider access, begin again from the Social Security website. If you can sign in to the provider but still cannot reach your Social Security account, the problem may involve the connection to Social Security rather than the provider credentials.

Getting Official Login Support

Contact the organization that controls the part of the process that failed.

• Use the Login.gov Help Center for a Login.gov password, email address, phone number, authentication method, account lock, or identity-proofing problem.
• Use the ID.me Help Center for an ID.me password, email access, multi-factor authentication, identity verification, or ID.me account problem.
• Contact Social Security for blocked or unblocked electronic access, account deactivation, trouble reaching Social Security after a successful provider sign-in, or questions about your Social Security record or benefits.

Use only support options presented on the official Social Security or provider pages. Support staff should not ask you to disclose your password or a current verification code.