SSA Password Reset and Account Recovery

Where to Sign In to Your SSA Account

Open {site} and select Sign In. The official SSA page will ask you to continue with either Login.gov or ID.me. Since June 2025, these are the only sign-in options for personal my Social Security accounts. An older Social Security username and password can no longer be used.

Choose the same service you used when you set up or last accessed the account. Login.gov and ID.me are separate accounts, so a password created for one will not work with the other. If you are unsure, search your email for earlier messages from either service.

Avoid search ads and websites that claim they can perform an SSA login password reset for you. Start at {site}, check that the page identifies the Social Security Administration, and then use the Login.gov or ID.me button. Do not give a reset code, password, or security code to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.

How to Reset Your SSA Password

There is no longer a separate SSA password to change. To reset my SSA account password now means resetting the password for the Login.gov or ID.me account connected to Social Security.

For a Login.gov account:

1. Select Sign in with Login.gov on the SSA sign-in page.
2. Select Forgot your password?
3. Enter the email address used for Login.gov and select Continue.
4. Open the message from Login.gov and select its password-reset button.
5. Create the new password, submit it, and follow the prompts to sign in and complete authentication.

For an ID.me account:

1. Select Sign in with ID.me on the SSA sign-in page.
2. Enter the email address associated with ID.me and continue.
3. Select Forgot password?, enter the email address again, and continue.
4. Open the ID.me password-reset email. Use its reset button or copy the confirmation code into the browser screen that requested it.
5. Enter the new password twice, continue, and complete multi-factor authentication.

These are the current steps for readers asking “how to reset my SSA account” or “how to reset SSA login.” Reset the credential with the provider shown on the sign-in button, not on an unrelated password-recovery site.

Using an SSA Account Reset Code

The phrase “SSA account reset code” can refer to different things. ID.me may put a confirmation code in its password-reset email. Enter that code only on the ID.me screen left open after you requested the reset. Login.gov normally sends an email containing a Reset your password button rather than an SSA my account reset code.

A one-time authentication code is different from a password-reset message. It may be delivered through a method already configured on the account, such as text, phone call, an authentication app, or backup codes. Enter it on the active Login.gov or ID.me security screen.

If a code is not received, check the spam or junk folder, confirm that the displayed destination matches your email or phone, and make sure the address was typed correctly. Request a new message from the same screen if that option appears. If several messages arrive, use the newest one. Never send the code by email or give it to a caller.

If You No Longer Have Access to Your Email or Phone

Your recovery route depends on the sign-in provider and what you can still access.

• Login.gov email unavailable and password forgotten: Login.gov directs users to create a new account with a different accessible email address and verify their identity again.
• Login.gov phone unavailable: After entering the email and password, select Choose another security option and use another method that was previously added, such as backup codes, an authentication app, security key, or face or touch unlock.
• ID.me email unavailable but password known: Enter the email originally associated with the account, enter the password, and complete the configured multi-factor authentication. Once signed in, follow ID.me’s account instructions for updating the email.
• ID.me email unavailable and password forgotten: Use the ID.me Help Center’s account-access support process. ID.me may require recovery with a support agent.
• ID.me phone or authentication method unavailable: Use ID.me’s multi-factor authentication recovery process. This is separate from an SSA password reset.

Do not create duplicate accounts merely to test different email addresses. First identify whether the existing account belongs to Login.gov or ID.me and follow that provider’s official recovery instructions.

When the Password Reset Does Not Work

If the reset message or ssa account reset code is rejected, return to the provider’s Forgot password screen and request a fresh message. Use only the newest email or code. Older reset messages may become invalid after another request or may no longer be usable.

Check the email address carefully. It must be one associated with the Login.gov or ID.me account. A message saying that no account exists may mean the address is wrong or that the other sign-in provider was used.

Repeated incorrect passwords or security codes can temporarily lock an account. Stop retrying, follow the notice on the screen, and try again when it permits. If the browser stalls, update it, clear its cache and cookies, or try a supported browser such as Chrome, Edge, or Safari. Keep the original reset screen open when copying a code, and type it without extra spaces.

A successful password change does not bypass multi-factor authentication. If the new password works but the next security step fails, use the provider’s authentication-recovery instructions rather than resetting the password repeatedly.

How to Contact SSA for Account Help

Contact the service responsible for the failing step. Login.gov support handles its passwords, email addresses, phone numbers, authentication methods, and identity verification. The ID.me Help Center handles the same account-access issues for ID.me users.

SSA can help with Social Security account matters such as blocked electronic access, account deactivation, or problems that remain after the sign-in provider has authenticated you. Use the verified SSA contact block on this page for the official channel.

Before requesting help, have ready your full name, the email used for Login.gov or ID.me, the provider you selected, the exact error message, and the step where the problem occurred. Do not send your password, full Social Security number, one-time code, backup code, or personal key in an ordinary support message.