Perform an account recovery

Description

Important:
If, in accordance with Tips & Videos on using AGOV, you have already registered a second login factor, use it for the recovery. To do so, log in at agov.ch/me, register a new second login factor, and then delete the login factor that can no longer be used. This helps you avoid an account recovery that may be subject to a fee.

Instructions

• Required: You know the email address with which your AGOV account is registered and can receive emails at this address.
  
• If possible: You still have access to the smartphone with the installed AGOV access App. In this case, remove the relevant AGOV account before the recovery:
  Remove account
  

  

  Instructions for Removing Your AGOV Account from the AGOV Access App

  
  
• Optional: You provided a mobile phone number when you first registered your AGOV account.
  

Account recovery – step by step

1. Start account recovery
   Open the AGOV login page (agov.ch/me) in your web browser and click Start account recovery.
   

   

   Start account recovery on the AGOV login page

   
   
2. Enter email address
   Enter the email address of your AGOV account. An email containing a recovery link will be sent to this address.
   

   

   Enter your email address

   
   

   

   Start the recovery process

   
   Note on the recovery link: with certain email programs, the recovery link may be deactivated when opened. In this case, the prompt to enter the email address will be displayed again. For more information, see the help article Recovery link not working.

3. Missing login factor
   If a second login factor (smartphone, tablet, or security key) is no longer available for the AGOV account, the following selection is displayed:

   Select I no longer have access to my login factors and click Next.
   

   

   Please make the appropriate selection before continuing

   
   If the AGOV account could not be removed from the AGOV access App, the login factor that can no longer be used will also be shown in the selection.

   In this case too, select I no longer have access to my login factors and click Next.
   

   

   Please make the appropriate selection before continuing

   
   Note: This no-longer-working login factor should be manually deleted at agov.ch/me after the account recovery, using the new login factor.
   
   
4. Confirm mobile phone number
   If you provided a mobile phone number when registering your AGOV account, you can continue the account recovery with an SMS code. If no mobile phone number is on file, this step is automatically skipped.
   

   

   Confirm your cell phone number by entering the SMS code

   
   
5. Select new login factor
   After confirming the mobile phone number, or – if no number is on file – directly afterward, the screen for selecting the new login factor is displayed.

   Select the desired login factor.
   

   

   Select your new authentication factor

   
   Register AGOV access App
   
   If you want to register the AGOV access App as a new login factor, proceed as follows: ▼
   ×

   
   Install the AGOV access App on your new smartphone or tablet.
   The AGOV access App should be installed exclusively via the official distribution platforms:

   • AGOV access App for iOS
     
   • AGOV access App for Android

   Then scan the displayed QR code with the AGOV access App to establish the link with your AGOV account.
   

   

   Scan the QR code shown

   
   Once the link has been established successfully, the registered device name is displayed.
   Click Next to complete the registration.
   

   

   AGOV access app registered

   
   
   
   Register security key
   
   If you want to register a security key as a new login factor, proceed as follows: ▼
   ×

   
   You will then be prompted to register a new security key.

   Click Register key and follow the on-screen instructions.
   

   

   Register a Security Key

   Once registration is successful, you can give the security key a unique name. Then click Next to complete the registration.
   

   

   Enter a name for the new security key

   
   
   
   
6. Complete account recovery
   For AGOV accounts where only the email address is verified, the account recovery is now complete.
   

   

   Account recovery complete

   
   
7. If no phone number is on file in your AGOV account, your personal information must be verified after account recovery. This step is part of the recovery process and applies to both accounts where personal information has already been verified and accounts without prior verification.

   The identity verification process will also be triggered if, after restoration, you attempt to access the desired application using your AGOV account again. AGOV will automatically notify you if verification is required and guide you through the steps.

   See also the guide: How is the identity verification launched?
   

   

   Triggering of the Identification

   
   

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