PingID End User Guide

The 'what and why' of pairing your device with PingID

Set up your device for secure authentication with PingID by pairing it with your account, and learn what to do if your device is lost, stolen, or you want to change the device you are using to authenticate.

PingID supports the use of many different authentication device types. When you have selected the device and method you want, pair it to your account, so you can use it to authenticate with PingID.

What is pairing and why do I need to do it?

PingID lets you register, or 'set up' a device or authentication method by pairing it with your account, so you can sign on to your company services and applications with the added security of multi-factor authentication (MFA). Pairing creates a trust between the authentication method you want to use and your account, so you can use that authentication method to authenticate during the sign on process. Depending on your organization’s configuration, you can pair several devices to use for secure authentication with PingID. However you must pair or connect each device or authentication method separately in order to be able to use it authenticate with PingID.

The pairing process varies depending on the type of device you want to use. For example, when pairing the PingID mobile app, your company will give you a QR code or pairing key that you can scan or enter into the PingID mobile app to complete the pairing process. If you’re pairing a device that uses biometrics, you might be asked to scan your face or fingerprint.

There are many devices that you can pair, and the options available will vary according to the resources you want to access, and the options your company allows. See Pairing a device with PingID for a full list of devices that can be paired with PingID and instructions of how to do so.

After your device is paired, you can use it to authenticate to any service that your company protects using PingID and access your resources securely. See Authenticating securely with PingID for instructions about how to authenticate with a device Authenticating securely with PingID.

  1. The PingID mobile app receives the notification sent by the mobile notification server.

  2. The PingID mobile app sends the PingID server a test request in order to test the established trust components, enabling a security handshake between the app and the server. If all trust components are valid and the device meets the organization’s requirements, the server updates the user’s profile.

  3. The PingID server finalizes the pairing process with a success server response message that the device is paired. The PingID mobile app then shows the one-time passcode (OTP) screen to the user.

  4. The PingID server triggers a first authentication request that is sent to the user’s mobile device as part of the authentication flow.

Which devices or authentication methods can I pair with PingID?

You can pair various devices, such as the PingID mobile app, an authenticator app like Google Authenticator, or a security key, with PingID.

You can see a list of authentication methods that can be paired with PingID here.

The authentication methods available to you are defined by your company, so some of the methods listed might not be available to you. If you want to know the full list available for your organization, contact your organization’s help desk.

Pairing a device - when I already have a device paired with PingID

If you have more than one device paired with PingID, and your organization allows it, you can pair additional devices from your Devices page. For information, see I want to pair an additional device or add an authentication method.

You might also be able to pair a device in the following situations, without needing to contact your help desk:

I want to pair a device or authentication method for the first time

Your company decides which devices you can pair with your account, and which resources you can access. Select the device you want to pair, and then select the tab with instructions that fit the resource you want to access (accessing an account or app through a web browser, your VPN, your Windows machine, or your Mac machine).

For a list of devices and how to pair them see Pairing a device with PingID.

The authentication methods available to you as well as the types of resources you can access are defined by your organization’s policy. For more information, contact your organization’s administrator.