How to Transition Your Social Security Account to Login.gov
Reading Time: 3 MinutesLast Updated: August 23, 2024
If you created a Social Security username more than 3 years ago, you will need to transition to a new or existing Login.gov account or use an ID.me account to have continuous access to our online services. We recently announced this news in a press release.
For step-by-step instructions on how to make the transition, watch this video. We also encourage you to visit our Frequently Asked Questions for Transitioning Your Social Security Username to Login.gov.
Beginning June 1, 2024, people who sign in to their personal my Social Security account with their username are given the option to transition to Login.gov. This blog provides additional information and guidance to help you with problems you may encounter. We’re also going to provide answers to some of the questions we’ve heard.
Who does this affect?
If you created your free and secure my Social Security account on or after September 18, 2021, no action is necessary because you already have the right setup. If you are among the 46 million people who created an account before September 18, 2021 and use your username and password to access Social Security online services today, you will need to create or use an existing account with one of our two Credential Service Providers (CSP) – Login.gov or ID.me.
Is there a deadline?
While you can still use a username and password to sign in to your personal my Social Security account right now, this option is going away later this year. At that time, you will be required to have a Login.gov or ID.me account if you want to continue to access your personal my Social Security and our many other convenient online services.
A personal my Social Security account provides tools for everyone, whether you receive benefits or not. You can use your account to request a replacement Social Security card, check the status of an application, estimate future benefits, and manage the benefits you already receive. To learn more, visit What is an Account?
Why are you making this change?
This change will simplify your sign-in experience and better align with federal authentication standards while providing safe and secure access to our online services.
What do I need to do?
To avoid any disruptions in accessing our online services we encourage you to transition your account now by signing in to your account with your username and password. Our online instructions will guide you through the process of creating or signing in to an existing Login.gov account.
Information about Login.gov and ID.me
Login.gov is your one government account for simple, secure, and private access to participating government agencies. You can use your Login.gov account to access your Social Security benefit information, services, and other information. And you can use that same Login.gov account to manage other government benefits and services. For support, visit the Login.gov Help Center.
ID.me is a single sign-on provider that also meets the U.S. government’s online identity proofing and authentication requirements. You can use one ID.me account to access government and private services. For support – Go to the ID.me Help Center.
For more information, visit our Create an Account page.
Please share this information with friends and family, clients and colleagues, and others who may need it.
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Tags: General Information, my Social Security, my Social Security account
See CommentsAbout the Author
Dawn Bystry, Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
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Elizabeth
I have been trying to sign on and have had too many problems!! Why are my benefits not coming in the mail?!! You make it too difficult to sign in!! What about people who do not have a computer? As of this time I have not been able to sign in. It looks like I am not the only one and to call is ridiculous since the wait time is over an hour!
Sandra C.
I received my temporary password. I try to log on with my user name and the temporary password. I receive a message asking that I get a Security Code. But when I click to receive it by text, I get an error message stating “We cannot process your request at this time. Please try again later.”. I cannot then log on. But I do receive the code by text. I need help in logging on.
T.Y.
Hi, Sandra. Thank you for reading our blog. If you are having problems receiving or entering your activation code, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please say “Help Desk” at the voice prompt. We hope this helps.
Tammie S.
Unable to access my account – try both ways and it brings me right back to Create Account or Sign In after I input the secure number.
T.Y.
Hello, Tammie. Thank you for reading our blog. If you are having problems entering your activation code, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please say “Help Desk” at the voice prompt. We hope this helps.
Jacquelin K.
I did set up a new login.gov account in July, 2024. I try to login, I receive a 6 digit access code but when I enter the code and select to “sign in”, the message appears asking if I received a code. When I reply “yes”, a message appears that I entered an incorrect code and the screen automatically goes to the SSA screen to set-up an account. There is no option to get me to my account! There’s no information on how to contact a live person for help!!
T.Y.
Hello, Jacquelin. Thank you for reading our blog. If you are having problems entering your activation code, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please say “Help Desk” at the voice prompt. We hope this helps.
MOSTAFA M.
I been trying for couple of days… cannt receive ur code throught my text.i would like u to send the code to my email address
😊 ty
T.Y.
Thank you for reading our blog, Mostafa. If you are having problems receiving or entering your activation code, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please say “Help Desk” at the voice prompt. We hope this helps.
Jacqueline O.
This site is now too difficult to use. It says I have a login – and I know I do. Yet all three options do not work. There is no place to go to have you mail the statement, which, honestly, is my preference given that this site is extremely unhelpful and frustrating. How can I get the information sent to me by mail? Or – get information on which log in choice is the correct one, since each tells me that is not the correct option, but that I do, in fact, have a log in.
Using the name on my social security account which is incorrect, also.
T.Y.
Hi, Jacqueline. Thank you for reading our blog. We are sorry you are having difficulty accessing your account. You can call our “Help Desk” at 1-800-772-1213. After you hear “How can I help you today?” please say “Help Desk” for help to access my Social Security account. The help desk is available to callers between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps.
mike
When I call the help desk number it rolls to a different number and no one answers. 1-800-772-1213 rolls to 800-997-9540.
Mike
On hold all afternoon. Selected call back and waited 3+ hours. Still no contact. All I want to do is update my phone number.
T.Y.
Thank you for reading our blog, Mike. We are sorry that you are having trouble reaching someone by phone. Wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month. Our automated telephone services are available 24 hours a day and do not require you to wait to speak with a representative. For other ways to contact us, please visit our How Can We Help webpage. If your issue is time sensitive, you may want to visit your local Social Security office. To find the contact information of your local office, visit our Office Locator. We hope this helps.
Anne D.
I waited for an hour and forty minutes on my landline to change my address (I moved). So I came to http://www.socialsecurity.gov hoping I would find how to change my address. Perhaps it is because there isn’t anyone to answer the phone because people are travelling for Thanksgiving.
T.Y.
Thank you for reading our blog, Anne. We are sorry that you are having trouble reaching someone by phone. Wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month. Our automated telephone services are available 24 hours a day and do not require you to wait to speak with a representative. For other ways to contact us, please visit our How Can We Help webpage. If your issue is time sensitive, you may want to visit your local Social Security office. To find the contact information of your local office, visit our office locator. We hope this helps.
art j.
It has been years since I have logged in to my account. Medicare says my address is wrong in the SS system, I need to update it. I forgot my user name to log in, the system did allow me to recover it. Using the recovered user name I forgot the password to log in to account. Trying to recover the password the system has thrown me out and blocks me from trying again. I’m on hold with calling in for over 30 minutes. How do I get unstuck.