Frequently Asked Questions

Smart-ID accounts are device-based, you cannot use the same Smart-ID account across multiple devices. You can still use Smart-ID on as many smart devices as you want, but you will need to register a new account for each one of them.

It also means that you’ll need to register a new account if you’ve reset your device to factory settings or have changed your phone or tablet.

Registering a new Smart-ID account:

First, download and install the free Smart-ID app on your device.

Then, create an account and authenticate it. Depending on your chosen authentication methods, different age restrictions and limitations may apply.

• In Estonia, you can use your ID-card or mobile ID to do it online, scan your passport for biometric identification or visit a bank office with your passport or ID card if you have no access to online authentication methods.
• In Latvia you can apply for Smart-ID electronically using your ID-card, scanning your own document at home with biometric identification or by visiting your local bank office. Or you can use your internet bank link identification if you want to apply for a Smart-ID Basic account.
• In Lithuania, you can apply for Smart-ID electronically using your ID-card or Mobile-ID, scanning your own document at home with biometric identification or you could visit your local bank office. Or you can use your internet bank link identification if you want to apply for a Smart-ID Basic account.

If you don’t have access to any of the online identification methods, take your national ID document to your local bank office. Read more about Smart-ID registration methods.

Using Smart-ID to register a new Smart-ID Basic account (in Latvia and Lithuania):

If Smart-ID is the only online authentication method you use to access e-services and online banking, don’t worry. You can use it to authenticate your new account.

Just remember, DO NOT delete your existing account beforehand and do not clear the memory of your old phone before setting up the new one:

1. Download the Smart-ID app on your new phone and create a Smart-ID account.
2. Choose banklink authentication to create a Smart-ID Basic account for your new device.
3. Choose Smart-ID from the bank link login options and follow the instructions on both your old and your new devices.
4. Once the new device has an active Smart-ID account, make sure it works.
5. If you are sure the new device and your new Smart-ID account are active, you can delete the Smart-ID account (and everything else if you wish) on your old phone.

Remember that using banklink authentication will give you a Smart-ID Basic account. For a full Smart-ID account, you need to authenticate yourself via ID-card, mobile-ID or by visiting a bank office.

Read more about Smart-ID account registration methods.

Removing inactive Smart-ID accounts:

Smart-ID accounts are device-based – not user account or SIM-card based. It means that for safety reasons you should always delete the Smart-ID accounts that you no longer use. If you are upgrading/changing your phone, delete the old account when you have a new account in place. If your smart device has been lost or stolen, delete your old account as soon as possible.

There are several ways to delete your inactive accounts:

• if you still have access to your old smart device, use the Smart-ID app to remove the account: it’s the easiest and fastest way
• if you can’t use your app to delete the account, sign in to Smart-ID portal and deactivated the accounts that you no longer require
• You can also contact our customer services for assistance if your smart device has been lost or stolen.

So what happens when you delete your app/factory reset your device, but do not delete your account?

While your old account remains active, it can’t be used, so you need to create a new account to continue using Smart-ID. It also means that you can’t “restore access” to your existing security certificate as your private key was linked to the app you no longer have and you also cannot re-use your old security certificate.

This is one of the reasons why Smart-ID solution is so safe. The key used for secure operations is split between the server and the app. As the app part is always under the control of the user and never leaves the smart device, it gets deleted along with the app. Smart-ID won’t allow operating systems to backup our app content (including the key), so it won’t be restorable or recoverable once the app is lost.

Once you’ve registered your new account, we strongly recommend you log in to the Smart-ID self-service and delete the accounts you no longer use!