---
title: Pairing your email (Windows login)
description: "Register or 'pair' your email address, so you can receive a one-time passcode (OTP) to your email, and use it to securely access your Windows login machine with PingID."
component: pingid-user-guide
page_id: pingid-user-guide:secure_authentication_with_pingid:pid_setting_up_email_authentication_windows_login
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingid-user-guide/secure_authentication_with_pingid/pid_setting_up_email_authentication_windows_login.html
revdate: July 13, 2023
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  result: Result:
  result-2: Result:
  result-3: Result:
  result-4: Result:
  next-steps: Next steps
---

# Pairing your email (Windows login)

Register or 'pair' your email address, so you can receive a one-time passcode (OTP) to your email, and use it to securely access your Windows login machine with PingID.

## About this task

## Steps

1. Sign on to your Windows machine.

   ![A screen capture of the Windows login page.](_images/une1564021179418.png)

   ### Result:

   The PingID registration window displays.

   ![A screen capture of the PingID registration window.](_images/mqz1564021181220.png)

   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
   | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | Until you successfully complete the registration process, you cannot minimize the PingID registration window. If you close the window, you are automatically redirected back to the login page. |

2. Click **I want to use a different authentication method**.

   ### Result:

   The **Alternative Authentication** window appears.

   ![A screen capture of the Alternative Authentication window, displaying the Authentication Preference options.](_images/vdv1564021148639.png)

3. Click **Receive passcodes via email** and enter your email address in the **email address** field. Click **Next**.

   ### Result:

   PingID sends a one-time passcode (OTP) to your specified email address.

   ![A screen capture of the email from PingID displaying the one-time passcode to complete the email authentication pairing.](_images/pni1564021149247.png)

4. On a different device, open your email account and copy the OTP from the PingID email. In the Windows **Email Verification** window, paste or enter the OTP in the **Enter passcode** field. Click **Verify**. ![A screen capture of the Email Verification window requesting the one-time passcode in the Enter passcode field.](_images/jii1564021150629.png)

   ![zoq1564021183904](_images/zoq1564021183904.png)

   ### Result:

   A green **Authenticated** message with a check mark appears, indicating successful authentication. You are automatically signed on to your Windows machine.

5. The next time you sign on to Windows:

   1. You receive a OTP through your email.

   2. Enter the OTP.

   3. Click **Sign On** to authenticate and sign on.

## Next steps

You can now authenticate using your email to access your Windows login machine. For information, see [Authenticating using email (Windows login)](pid_ug_auth_using_email_windowsl.html).