Frequently Asked Questions

General

Smart-ID is a convenient personal identity solution trusted by European Union, which is operating in Belgium, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
It is simple, easy to use and it’s a secure alternative to passwords.
With Smart-ID, you can log in to e-services, confirm transactions and sign your agreements.

The Smart-ID app is free to download and use.
Smart-ID transactions are paid for by the companies who let you use their e-services for logging in and giving e-signatures.

From November 2018, Smart-ID is recognized as a QSCD (Qualified Signature Creation Device). It means that electronic signatures given with Smart-ID have the same legal standing as signatures given by hand (QES level) and are accepted throughout the European Union.

Signing documents with Smart-ID is easy.

A key advantage of Smart-ID is that each Smart-ID account is automatically ready for signing – no additional activation or registration steps are required (unlike some other digital identity solutions).

As you register your Smart-ID account, you’ll create your personal PIN2 code for signing. At the same moment, your qualified signing certificate is securely generated in the background – meaning your account is instantly ready to sign documents whenever you need.

There are several options for signing documents:

  • Use online signing services:You can use Smart-ID to sign documents with Dokobit or other electronic signing portals that support Smart-ID.
  • Use an app:If you’re an iPhone user, you can download the Dokobit app to sign documents on your mobile device.

Please note: Electronically signed documents may come in different formats, and not all are universally supported by every application.

Registering

You’ll need both your smartphone and a computer to complete the registration. Make sure you have:

You can find the full instruction manual here: instructions

Registering Smart-ID is simple! Just follow these steps and you’ll be ready in no time.

Before you start, make sure you have:

Step 1: open the Smart-ID app

Open the Smart-ID app on your phone or tablet and select “Register new Smart-ID”. Select your country of residence and choose ID-card as the authentication method.

Read and accept the terms and conditions of using Qualified Smart-ID Certificates (confirming that you want to use Smart-ID for authentication).

Step 2: choose your PIN-codes

Pick two PIN codes for Smart-ID. Important: These cannot be reset! Choose codes that are easy for you to remember but hard for others to guess. For more information, read our tips on PIN-codes.

Step 3: continue registration on your computer

The app will ask you to switch to your computer. Open the browser and follow the link shown in the app.

Step 4: fill in the details on your computer

On the Smart-ID portal, answer a few questions. Enter the registration code from your app (valid for 15 minutes).

Step 5: confirm your Smart-ID account

Check that the code on your app matches the one on your computer. Confirm the registration and enter your ID-card PIN codes when asked.

Step 6: finalize the registration on your smart device

After confirming on your computer, return to the app. Enter your Smart-ID PIN 1 and PIN 2 to complete the process.

Step 7: you’re ready!

Try logging in to an e-service (like your online bank). Select Smart-ID as the login method and confirm with PIN 1 in the app. Enjoy secure, easy access to services!

If you’re using a Mac with macOS Sonoma (14.0+), you might see an error when registering with Smart-ID. This happens because Apple now uses its own smart card driver, which isn’t compatible with all readers.

To fix this:
Make sure your operating system is fully up to date.

Open the Terminal on your Mac. (You can find it by searching for “Terminal” in Spotlight or in the “Other” folder within “Applications.”)

Copy and paste the following line into the Terminal:

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.security.smartcard useIFDCCID -bool yes

Press “Enter” (you may be asked to enter your admin password, type it in and press “Enter”. Note: your password will not be visible as you type.

Restart your computer.

Using Smart-ID

To use Smart-ID to log into online government services, you must first register for Smart-ID.

Once your Smart-ID has been activated, you can log into the online government services that support it. When logging in from computer:

  • Click “Log in with Smart-ID”. You are redirected to Authentigate portal.
  • Click “Show QR code”
  • Open Smart-ID app and scan the QR code with Smart-ID app. You are asked to enter PIN1
  • Enter PIN1

For your security, we strongly recommend opening the Smart-ID app to scan Smart-ID QR codes instead of your device’s camera. If a QR code is scanned with a generic camera app or another QR reader app, the Smart-ID app opens to its QR code reading screen, and the scan must be repeated.

Just like an ID-card or passport, a Smart-ID account is strictly personal and must only be used by the person it was issued to. That person is legally responsible for all actions taken with the account. If you share your device with someone else, never share your Smart-ID PIN codes – doing so puts your identity and security at serious risk.

Yes, you can – Smart-ID itself doesn’t limit where you use your account. However, some service providers may choose to restrict access for Smart-ID accounts issued in another country. If you’re having trouble logging in, we recommend contacting the service provider (e.g. your bank) directly for more information.

Some e-services add extra security to prevent accidental approvals. You’ll:

  • See a confirmation code in the e-service.
  • Get 3 options in the Smart-ID app.
  • Select the correct code before entering your PIN.

If you choose the wrong code, the transaction restarts with 3 new codes. You can switch between apps to check the correct code.

You can still use Smart-ID even if push notifications don’t appear on your device. Just follow these steps:

  1. Open the Smart-ID app manually on your phone.
  2. You should now see the confirmation code and be prompted to enter your PIN.

If the app is already open but nothing appears, tap the Smart-ID logo inside the app — this will refresh the screen and show the confirmation code.

You probably don’t have a Smart-ID account. To get Smart-ID, download the Smart-ID app from the Apple App Store, Google Play or Huawei AppGallery and complete the registration process.

If you have downloaded the app and successfully completed the registration, make sure you entered your authentication data (Smart-ID account ID, e-service username etc.) correctly on the e-service login form.

When you open Smart-ID app, you should see your own name and account expiration date.

PIN codes

Your PIN codes are used during each Smart-ID transaction:

  • PIN1 is used to authenticate you – to give you access to your online bank account or e-service.
  • PIN2 is used for electronic signatures

PIN-codes are not stored anywhere so remembering them is very important: there are no PIN-reminders available and if you forget your PIN-codes, you need to create a new Smart-ID account.

PIN codes are private and should not be shared with anyone else. All transactions made with Smart-ID are legally binding, so it is very important that you keep your PIN codes safe:

  • when setting up your account, choose PIN1 and PIN2 codes that would be easy for you to remember without having to write them down;
  • don’t share your PIN codes with other people, even family members;
  • your PIN codes are not stored anywhere within our system – they can’t be changed and there is no “password reminder” if you forget them.

When you use Smart-ID, the PIN you enter helps unlock part of a cryptographic key stored in the app. If the PIN is correct, Smart-ID uses it to create a valid digital signature. The system is designed so that even if someone gets access to your phone, they can’t try out lots of PINs to guess the right one. If too many wrong attempts are made, the Smart-ID server automatically locks your certificate to stop the attack.

Smart-ID PIN codes are not stored anywhere and can’t be recovered. If you forget them or they get permanently locked, you’ll need to delete your existing account and register a new one. You can do this via the Smart-ID app or at portal.smart-id.com.

Sometimes, Smart-ID might ask for your PIN even though you didn’t start anything. If that happens:

  • Don’t enter your PIN.
  • It’s usually just someone typing in the wrong details by mistake.
  • If you enter your PIN, you could accidentally give access to your account.

What should you do?

Just tap “Cancel” on the screen. If you ignore it, the request will disappear on its own after a few minutes.

No need to worry – it’s usually a harmless mistake. But if it keeps happening, contact Smart-ID support.

Closing the account

Smart-ID accounts are device-based – each device can have one account. It means that:

  • Your account is safe: no one can accidentally “log in” to your account from their device
  • You can have as many accounts as you want – one for each device you use.
  • When you get a new phone, simply download the app and register a new account.

You should always delete the Smart-ID accounts that you no longer use. First of all, it helps to keep your data safe. Secondly, it’s for your own comfort – if you only use one device for Smart-ID, but have multiple active accounts, you’ve got to go through an extra step with each verification (to confirm which device you want to use).

You should delete your Smart-ID account. These are the ways you can do that:

  • Log in to your Smart-ID self-service portal with your Belgium ID-card and delete your account.
  • If you have multiple active Smart-ID accounts on different smart devices, you can also log in to the self-service portal using Smart-ID installed on your other device.

Security

Your private keys are mathematically combined and shared between the Smart-ID app, which is installed in your mobile device, and the Smart-ID server. The share inside the Smart-ID app is protected with your PIN and the share inside the Smart-ID server is protected with the HSM (hardware security module). Clever cryptographic methods are used to ensure that one cannot create digital signatures with just a single share of your private key and that in order to produce a digital signature, the individual shares are never mathematically combined in a single place. So the Smart-ID app alone cannot produce a valid signature and the Smart-ID server alone cannot produce a valid signature either.

This means that an attacker who would like to create fake digital signatures needs to break the security of both shares of your private keys. We are confident that this provides a very high level of protection.

Your private keys are actually cryptographic keys: very long numbers that are generated randomly and which are therefore very hard for attackers to guess. Digital signature systems work with pairs of keys. A private key is kept secret and is used to mathematically compute the digital signatures. The public key can then be used to mathematically verify the signature. Because no-one else knows your private key, no-one else can give your digital signature.

  1. Keep your PIN-codes private!
    Do not share your PIN1 and PIN2 codes with anyone, not even family members or friends. As long as you are the only one who has the PIN-codes, no one else can use your Smart-ID to login to services, confirm transactions or access your data. This is also why you should never write your PIN-codes down. When registering your account, choose PIN-codes that would be easy for you to remember, but difficult for other people to guess. Avoid using your own birthday or codes such as 0000 or 1234.
  2. Only respond when you have initiated the action!
    Never enter your PIN codes if you are not the one who initiated the transaction! If you see a random authorization request on your screen, ignore it. If it happens again, get in touch with our customer service and we’ll help you figure out what to do next.
  3. Use a screen lock on your smartphone
    All smartphones have a screen lock function. Though it may seem a bit tedious, don’t be tempted to go without. The most common screen lock option is a numeric passcode and newer phones also offer pattern-based locks or a fingerprint lock. Passcode and fingerprint locks are the safest. Try to avoid using passcodes like 0000, 1111, 1234, 2580, or your own or your family members’ birthdays.
  4. Only download software from trusted sources
    Do not download unauthorized/illegal software and do not use links that promise to give you free access to otherwise expensive add-ins. Google Play and AppStore are the best places for software updates and new apps, and most of them are free anyway or cost very little. Making sure your software is legal also helps you protect yourself from cloning and identity theft.
  5. Keep your apps updated
    Keep your software up to date: regular updates of your operating system and apps help make sure you always have the best protection against security risks. The best way to ensure your software is always fresh is to allow automatic updates!
  6. Do not use rooted, jailbroken, unlocked or “cracked” devices!
    Buy your smart devices from authorized sellers or people you trust and who can prove that they are the true owners of the device. Stolen devices, rooted devices etc. are susceptible to hacking, generally unsafe and may cause issues in app performance.
  7. Sharing is not always caring
    The only way to make sure that no-one else adds something or does something you do not want on your smart device is to avoid giving access to your smart device to others. If sharing is the only option, make sure every user has their own account. Avoid automatic logins on devices with multiple users, and keep your screen passcode private!

Help needed

If you have a trouble with Smart-ID, but you still haven’t found an answer, then contact our customer service or write an e-mail to help.be@smart-id.com.

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