--- title: Before You Change Your Authentication Method description: Changing your authentication method can affect your users and their data in ways that are not immediately obvious. Please read through the information below carefully before making any changes in the Admin Console. --- [Skip to content](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/before-you-change-your-authentication-method#main-content) - [English](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/before-you-change-your-authentication-method) - [Deutsch](https://go.goodnotes.com/de/before-you-change-your-authentication-method) - [日本語](https://go.goodnotes.com/ja/before-you-change-your-authentication-method) English Show submenu for translations [![Combination\_black\_secondary](https://go.goodnotes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Combination_black_secondary.png?width=250&height=65&name=Combination_black_secondary.png)](https://go.goodnotes.com/support?hsLang=en) Open main navigation Close main navigation - - [English](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/before-you-change-your-authentication-method) - [Deutsch](https://go.goodnotes.com/de/before-you-change-your-authentication-method) - [日本語](https://go.goodnotes.com/ja/before-you-change-your-authentication-method) English Show submenu for translations - [Contact us](https://26813687.hs-sites-eu1.com/get-support-with-our-dedicated-support-team) [Contact us](https://26813687.hs-sites-eu1.com/get-support-with-our-dedicated-support-team?hsLang=en) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Goodnotes Business Support Site](https://go.goodnotes.com/support?hsLang=en) 2. [Set up & Manage your Goodnotes Organization](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/set-up-manage-your-goodnotes-organization?hsLang=en) 3. [Authentication & Identity](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/set-up-manage-your-goodnotes-organization?hsLang=en#authentication-identity) # Before You Change Your Authentication Method ## Things to review and prepare before making any changes to your organisation's sign-in method Changing your authentication method can affect your users and their data in ways that are not immediately obvious. Please read through the information below carefully before making any changes in the Admin Console. - **Account linking is not currently available** Goodnotes treats each sign-in method as a separate identity — even if the email address is the same. Switching to a new method creates a new account; it does not merge with or replace the existing one. - **Consider whether you need more than one sign-in method** By default, organisations are set up with a single authentication method. However, if your organisation requires **multiple OIDC options**— for example, to support users across different identity providers — this may be possible to enable. Please contact us from [here](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/get-support-with-our-dedicated-support-team?hsLang=en) and we can discuss the best setup for your needs. - **Back up your data** Documents and notes from your existing account will not transfer automatically to a new account. Make sure to back up your library before making any changes. - [Manual Backup](https://support.goodnotes.com/hc/en-us/articles/7353694866831-Back-up-and-restore-your-library-manually) - - [Auto-Backup](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/how-to-use-auto-backup-to-automatically-create-a-copy-of-your-documents-in-a-supported-cloud-storage?hsLang=en) ### **Who is affected by the change** Changing the authentication method in your Admin Console applies to **new users going forward**. Anyone who joins your organisation after the change will use the new sign-in method. **Existing users are not required to switch.** They can continue signing in with the previous method and their accounts and documents will remain unaffected. However, if an existing user chooses to sign in with the new method, a brand-new separate account will be created — their original account and data will not be linked or migrated automatically. ### Ready to make the change? Follow [the step-by-step guide](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/changing-your-sign-in-method-from-oidc-to-saml-sso?hsLang=en)to correctly change your sign-in method. ### **Related articles** [How to setup SSO](https://go.goodnotes.com/support/saml-sso-setup?hsLang=en) :A Step-by-Step Configuration Guide for SAML SSO in Admin Console. ### Need help? 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