---
title: Using email for authentication with PingID
description: "Register or 'pair' your email address, so you can receive a one-time passcode (OTP) to your email, and use it to authenticate securely with PingID."
component: pingid-user-guide
page_id: pingid-user-guide:secure_authentication_with_pingid:pid_setting_up_email_intro
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingid-user-guide/secure_authentication_with_pingid/pid_setting_up_email_intro.html
revdate: August 3, 2023
section_ids:
  pairing-your-email: Pairing your email
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  result: Result:
  result-2: Result:
  result-3: Result:
  result-4: Result
  pairing-your-email-windows-login: Pairing your email (Windows login)
  about-this-task-2: About this task
  steps-2: Steps
  result-5: Result:
  result-6: Result:
  result-7: Result:
  result-8: Result:
  next-steps: Next steps
  related-links: Related links
---

# Using email for authentication with PingID

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

Pairing creates a trust between your email address and your account.

If your company configuration allows it, you can use email to access your account using a Web browser, to access your company's VPN, or to access a Windows login, or Mac login machine.

|   |                                                                                          |
| - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | The option to pair your account with this device type is defined by your company policy. |

* Web or VPN or Mac

* Windows login

## Pairing your email

Register or 'pair' your email address from a web browser, so you can receive a one-time passcode (OTP) to your email, and use it to authenticate securely with PingID.

### About this task

|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
|   | After you have paired your device and authenticated successfully using a web browser, you can also use it to authenticate when accessing your VPN or Mac login machine, if your company allows you to do so. |

### Steps

1. Sign on to your account or app and when you see the registration window, click **Start**.

   ![A screen capture of the Registration window showing the Start button.](_images/gak1668088907565.png)

   You'll see the **Add a New Device** window, showing the **Email** icon.

   ![A screen capture of the Add New Device window showing device options available for you to add.](_images/lcz1668089066706.png)

2. In the **Add a New Device** window, click **Email**.

   #### Result:

   You'll see a pop-up window in which you can enter your email address.

   ![A screen capture of the Email window requesting you to enter the email you want to use to authenticate with the Next or Cancel option.](_images/xzb1634040839012.png)

3. Enter your email address, and then click **Next**.

   #### Result:

   A one-time passcode (OTP) is sent to the email address you specified.![A screen capture of the email from PingID displaying the one-time passcode to use complete authentication through email.](_images/pni1564021149247.png)

4. Copy the OTP you received in the PingID email. In your browser, in the **Enter passcode** field, paste or enter the OTP. Click **Verify**.

   ![A screen capture of the Email Verification window requesting you to enter the one-time passcode in the Enter passcode field.](_images/egh1634040962697.png)

   #### Result:

   After you successfully authenticate, the green **Authenticated** message with a check mark appears. You are automatically signed on to your organization's dock or app.

### Result

The next time you sign on to your account or app:

1. You receive an OTP through your email.

2. Enter the OTP.

3. Click **Sign On** to complete the authentication.

## 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).

## Related links

* [Authenticating with PingID using email](pid_ug_auth_using_email_intro.html)