---
title: Configure user self-service
description: Set up user self-service instances, encryption keys, security methods, and features like registration, password reset, and username recovery in PingAM
component: pingam
version: 8
page_id: pingam:user-self-service:configuring-uss
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/8.1/user-self-service/configuring-uss.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: 2026-06-01T14:34:20Z
keywords: ["Self-Service", "Registration", "Configuration & Setup"]
page_aliases: ["user-self-service-guide:configuring-uss.adoc"]
superseded_by: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingam/8.1/user-self-service/configuring-uss.html
section_ids:
  create-uss-service: Create a user self-service instance
---

# Configure user self-service

The following table summarizes the high-level tasks required to configure the user self-service features:

| Task                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Resources                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Create encryption and signing keys**The user self-service features require a key pair for encryption and a signing secret key. Create one of each for each instance of user self-service you plan to configure.                                                                                                                                                                                                         | * [Create self-service key aliases](../security/configuring-keys.html#changing-uss-keys)                                                                                                                                               |
| **Configure a user self-service instance**Each realm requires its own instance.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | - [Create a user self-service instance](#create-uss-service)                                                                                                                                                                           |
| **Configure user self-service security**Configure at least one security method for each feature:- Configure the email service to send an email to users who are registering, resetting their passwords, or users who have forgotten their username.

- Configure knowledge-based questions that users must answer to reset their passwords.

- Configure Google reCAPCHA to protect user self-service features from bots. | * [Configure the email service](configuring-email-service.html)

* [Configure the Google reCAPTCHA plugin](configuring-recaptcha.html)

* [Configure knowledge-based security questions](configuring-kba.html)                         |
| **Configure user self-service features**Configure the features that your environment requires.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | - [Configure user registration](configuring-user-self-registration.html)

- [Configure forgotten password reset](configuring-forgotten-password.html)

- [Configure forgotten username retrieval](configuring-forgotten-username.html) |

## Create a user self-service instance

1. In the AM admin UI, go to Realms > *realm name* > Services and select Add a Service.

2. Select User Self-Service from the list of possible services.

3. Populate the values of the Encryption Key Pair Alias and the Signing Secret Key Alias properties with the names of the key pair aliases in your JCEKS keystore.

   |   |                                                                                               |
   | - | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | By default, the demo keys are displayed in grey. This does *not* mean the fields have values. |

   For example, if you are using the demo keys in the default `keystore.jceks` file, set the properties as follows:

   * Encryption Key Pair Alias to `selfserviceenctest`.

   * Signing Secret Key Alias to `selfservicesigntest`.

     |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
     | - | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
     |   | The demo key aliases are for test or evaluation purposes. Don't use them in production environments. Read [Create self-service key aliases](../security/configuring-keys.html#changing-uss-keys) to create new key aliases. |

4. Enable each of the user self-service features you require.

5. Select Create.

6. On the User Self-Service page, configure each feature as described in the sections that follow.