Social Security Password Reset and Account Unlock

Start at the Official Social Security Sign-In Page

Open {site} and select the option to sign in to your personal my Social Security account. Check that the page identifies the Social Security Administration and offers Login.gov and ID.me as the sign-in choices.

Login.gov and ID.me are separate identity providers. Use the same provider you used before. Do not enter a password on a page reached through an unexpected email, text message, advertisement, or social media post. Social Security does not use a separate service that can unlock an account for you.

If you are unsure whether a message is genuine, close it and start again from {site}. Never give anyone your password, reset code, or multifactor authentication code.

Reset a Forgotten Social Security Password

A current my Social Security account is accessed through Login.gov or ID.me. The Social Security username-and-password option is no longer available, so the correct social security password reset process depends on the provider shown on your account.

1. On the Social Security sign-in screen, choose Login.gov or ID.me.
2. Enter the email address connected to that provider.
3. Select the option labeled Forgot your password or similar.
4. Check the email account you entered and follow the provider’s reset instructions.
5. Create a strong password that you do not use for another account.
6. Return to the sign-in screen, enter the new password, and complete multifactor authentication.

Login.gov requires a password of at least twelve characters. ID.me asks you to enter the new password twice. Have access to your account email and authentication method before starting. Depending on your setup, that method may be a text, call, authentication app, security key, passkey, or backup code.

If you searched “forgot my Social Security password” or “how do I reset my password for Social Security,” remember that you are resetting the Login.gov or ID.me credential used to reach Social Security, not a separate current SSA password.

Use a Social Security Reset Code

A social security reset code login may refer to an email code used by ID.me or to a security code used for multifactor authentication. Follow the label on the screen and enter the code only on the official provider page that requested it.

ID.me may send its password-reset message to the email address on the account. The message can contain a reset button and a confirmation code that can be copied into the browser screen. Login.gov sends a password-reset email with a button that returns you to its reset process. Authentication codes may arrive through the method you previously selected.

If a message does not arrive:

• Confirm that you entered the account’s email address correctly.
• Check spam, junk, and filtered-message folders.
• Check whether your device has service and whether messages from unknown senders are filtered.
• Use the resend option once, then use only the newest message or code.
• Do not approve a reset or sign-in request that you did not start.

If a code or reset button is expired or rejected, return to the provider’s Forgot password screen and request a new one. Avoid repeatedly entering an old code, because unsuccessful attempts can trigger another lock.

Unlock a Social Security Account

If failed sign-in attempts caused the lock, follow the message displayed by Login.gov or ID.me. Do not keep guessing the password.

For a Login.gov sign-in lock, wait for the period stated on the screen, then try again or use Forgot your password. If the lock happened during identity verification, follow Login.gov’s displayed recovery instructions and retry through the Social Security sign-in page rather than creating another account.

For an ID.me lock, select the recovery option in the locked-account message, enter the email address connected to the account, and check that inbox for an unlock message. Confirm the email as directed. If the unlock message has expired, request a new one. Reset the password afterward if you cannot remember it.

An online account lock affects access to Login.gov, ID.me, or my Social Security. It does not lock, suspend, replace, or change your Social Security number. Anyone claiming that your Social Security number must be “unlocked” through a payment or an unofficial service should not be trusted.

Recover a Forgotten Social Security Login

If you forgot your Social Security login, first identify which sign-in provider you used. Search your email inbox for earlier account messages from Login.gov or ID.me. Also check a password manager for an entry under either provider’s name.

Login.gov uses an email address rather than a separate username. Try the email addresses you may have registered, then use Forgot your password. ID.me also begins with the account email address and offers password recovery after you enter it.

People who previously used a Social Security username cannot use that older credential now. Choose Login.gov or ID.me on the SSA sign-in screen and follow the transition or account-creation prompts. If you already have an account with either provider, use it instead of creating a duplicate.

If you lost access to the registered email, changed your device, or cannot complete multifactor authentication, use that provider’s official help center recovery process. Social Security generally cannot reset a Login.gov or ID.me password for you.

Contact Social Security for Login Help

Contact support when you cannot identify your sign-in provider, cannot complete the transition from an older Social Security login, repeatedly return to an error page, or can sign in to the provider but cannot reach your Social Security account.

Use the verified contact block above for Social Security’s current telephone channel and operating hours. The official Contact Social Security area also provides an office locator. Deaf or hard-of-hearing users can use the verified TTY channel and may request communication accommodations. For a password, email, code, or authentication problem inside Login.gov or ID.me, use that provider’s official help center.

Before contacting support, have your name, the email address you believe is connected to the account, the provider you selected, the exact error message, and the type of device and browser ready. Do not send a password, reset code, authentication code, or full Social Security number by ordinary email or chat. Support may need to verify your identity, but recovery is not guaranteed until the required checks are completed.