Set up authentication methods in Kinde

Kinde supports many authentication options that let you control how users access your applications.

You can set different authentication requirements for different applications and for different organizations (if you use organizations).

Set up all your required authentication methods at the Environment level first.

Passwordless authentication

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Email + code

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A user enters their email address and Kinde sends a one-time passcode (OTP) to that address.

Email + code is enabled by default for all new Kinde businesses.

1. Under the Passwordless connections section > Email + code, select Configure.
2. In the popup that appears, enable the applications that will use this authentication method.
3. Select Save.

Phone

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You can allow users to authenticate using their phone number as their sign-in identity.

Kinde includes 10 free SMS messages per month for testing. You need to set up a third-party SMS service to send SMS messages to your users. Learn more about phone authentication.

1. Under the Passwordless connections section > Phone, select Configure.
2. In the popup that appears, enable the applications that will use this authentication method.
3. Select Save.

Username + code

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You can allow users to authenticate using a username as their sign-in identity.

When using the username authentication method, users must still provide an email on sign-up. This provides a way to receive the OTP. Learn more about username authentication.

1. Under the Passwordless connections section > Username + code, select Configure.
2. In the popup that appears, enable the applications that will use this authentication method.
3. Select Save.

Password authentication

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Email + password

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You cannot enable both Email + code and Email + password authentication for the same app at the same time. Disable one of them before enabling the other.

1. Under the Password connections section > Email + password, select Configure.
2. In the popup that appears, enable the applications that will use this authentication method.
3. Select Save.

Username

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Users authenticate with a username and password.

When using the username authentication method, users must still provide an email on sign-up. This provides a way to recover their account if they forget their password. Learn more about username authentication.

1. Under the Password connections section > Username, select Configure.
2. In the popup that appears, enable the applications that will use this authentication method.
3. Select Save.

Social authentication

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You can allow users to authenticate using social profiles such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.

1. Under the Social connections section, select Add connection.
2. In the popup that appears, select the social apps you want.
3. Select Save.
4. Set up the connection for each social app you selected.

See the list of social sign-in providers supported by Kinde.

Enterprise authentication

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You can allow users to authenticate using enterprise profiles such as Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, etc.

1. Under the Enterprise connections section, select Add connection.
2. In the popup that appears, select the enterprise app you want.
3. Select Save.
4. Set up the connection for each enterprise app you selected.

See the list of enterprise sign-in providers supported by Kinde.

Custom authentication

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Kinde supports the following custom authentication methods:

Custom OAuth 2.0

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1. Under the Social connections section, select Add connection.
2. In the popup that appears, select Custom OAuth 2.0, then select Next.
3. Configure the connection details, then select Save.

Read the full guide to setting up custom OAuth 2.0 connections.

Custom SAML

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1. Under the Enterprise connections section, select Add connection.
2. In the popup that appears, select Custom SAML, then select Next.
3. Configure the connection details, then select Save.

Read the full guide to setting up custom SAML connections.

Add and manage social and enterprise connections via API

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Use Kinde’s management API to manage social and enterprise connections. You can list connections, add new connections, retrieve connection details, and update existing connections.