Manage sign in details

If you’re using the myGov app, find out how to update your sign in details in the myGov app.

Updating your username

Before you start

A username can be:

• your unique 8 digit myGov username, emailed to you when you created your account
• the email address registered to your myGov account
• your mobile phone number, if you have it set up as a username.

You can’t change your username to be the same email address or mobile number as another myGov account.

For example, if you share an email address with someone else, only 1 person can use this address as their username in their myGov account.

How to change your username

Follow these steps to change your username:

1. Sign in to your myGov account.
2. Select the My account or Menu option.
3. Select Account settings, and then select Sign in settings.
4. Go to Username and select Manage.
5. Select your preferred username option, then select Update username.

Turn off your additional usernames and use your myGov username to keep your account secure.

Change your password

Before you start

Your myGov password must:

• have between 10 and 64 characters
• have at least one letter
• have at least one number
• not be the same as one of your last passwords
• not use the same character repeatedly or have any sequential characters (for example, you can't use AAAA or 1234).

Your password can have spaces and any of the following characters: ! @ # $ % ^ & *

Passphrases

You can improve your cyber security by setting up your password as a passphrase.

A passphrase is a set of words, numbers and symbols. They should be something that’s easy for you to remember, but difficult for anyone else to guess.

Choose a passphrase with:

• at least 4 random words you can remember
• numbers or symbols
• at least 14 characters.

For example: BLUEhouse18tomatoTRAIN%

Find out more about creating strong passphrases on Australian Cyber Security website.

How to change your password

Follow these steps to change your password:

1. Sign in to your myGov account.
2. Select the My account or Menu option.
3. Select Account settings, and then select Sign in settings.
4. Go to Password and select Edit.
5. Enter your current password, your new password and re-enter your new password. Select Change.

Select Show to display your password on screen as you enter it or after you’ve entered it.

Prompt to change your password

If we notice suspicious sign in attempts on your myGov account, we’ll prompt you to change your password next time you sign in.

This doesn’t mean anyone has accessed your account or myGov data.

If you get this prompt, follow these steps to change your password:

1. Sign in to your myGov account.
2. When prompted to change your password, select Update password.
3. Enter your current password, your new password and re-enter your new password. Select Next.
4. Select Continue to home.

Turn off your password with Digital Identity and passkeys

If you use Digital Identity or passkeys as a sign in option you can turn off your myGov password to improve your account security.

Follow these steps to turn off your password:

1. Sign in to myGov.
2. Select the My account or Menu option.
3. Select Account settings, then select Sign in settings.
4. Go to Password or Passkeys and select Manage. If you selected Passkeys, enter your password and select Next.
5. Select Turn off password and then follow the prompts.

You’ll still need your password to view or update some myGov settings, such as your secret questions, sign in options or myGov PIN.

If you turn off your myGov password, you can’t set up the Express Plus Medicare or Express Plus Child Support mobile apps.

Change your 2 factor authentication option

Your 2 factor authentication option will be one of these:

• a code sent by SMS
• a code from the myGov Code Generator app
• secret questions and answers.

Find out how to change your 2 factor authentication option.