deskbird offers several ways to log in, from simple email and password credentials to enterprise-grade Single Sign-On (SSO). This article gives you an overview of every available login method so you can choose and configure the right one for your organization.
💡 Good to know: The login screen shows all available login options (for example email and password, Google, Microsoft and SSO), regardless of which methods your company has configured. Your company's login policies are still enforced. If a user selects an option not enabled for your organization, the login will not proceed and they'll see an error. Advise users to use the method your company uses, or look for the "Last used" label on their login screen.
- The login page
- Login with email and password
- Login with Microsoft
- Login with Google
- SSO with Okta (SAML 2.0)
- SSO with Keycloak (SAML 2.0)
- SSO with custom SAML 2.0
- FAQs
1. The login page
The login page shows every login method directly, so users can pick the one their company uses:
"Last used" label
A "Last used" label appears next to the login method the user chose last time (on the same device and browser, as long as the cache isn't cleared), so they can pick the right option quickly.
Microsoft and Google on the first screen
Users select Microsoft or Google directly, without typing their email address first.
Security
The login flow limits what information is visible before authentication, which helps protect company data and reduces the risk of automated discovery attempts.
💡 Good to know: The login page path is /sign-in/landing. Older bookmarks redirect to it automatically.
2. Login with email and password
Email/password login is available to all users by default and requires no admin configuration. Users sign in with their email address and a personal password. If they haven't set a password, they can use Forgot password? on the login screen to create one.
💡 Once SSO or SCIM is configured, consider disabling email/password login to ensure all users authenticate through your identity provider and prevent duplicate accounts. You can manage this under Admin > Company: General settings > Authentication.
3. Login with Microsoft
Users can authenticate via Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) using their corporate Microsoft account. An IT admin with Global Admin rights must consent to the required permissions to activate the integration.
With the updated login page, the Microsoft option appears directly on the first screen — no need for users to enter their email address first.
4. Login with Google
Login with Google is available by default — no setup required. If your organization uses Google Workspace, users can log in by selecting the Google option on the login screen.
With the updated login page, the Google option appears directly on the first screen — no email entry required first.
5. SSO with Okta (SAML 2.0)
deskbird integrates with Okta via SAML 2.0 to allow secure authentication through your existing Okta environment. This is ideal for companies using Okta as their identity provider (IdP).
6. SSO with Keycloak (SAML 2.0)
If your company uses Keycloak for identity management, you can configure SSO with deskbird using SAML. This ensures secure access control across systems.
7. SSO with custom SAML 2.0
Already using a different SAML 2.0-compliant identity provider? deskbird supports custom SAML 2.0 configurations for enterprise-level flexibility — so you can connect virtually any IdP that speaks SAML.
8. FAQs
All login options (Google, Microsoft, email/password, SSO) are shown on the login screen to keep the experience consistent and to limit what is revealed about your company's configuration before authentication. Your company's login policies are still enforced — if a user selects an option that isn't enabled, the login will not continue and they'll see an error message. Advise users to use only the method your company has configured.
No. The login URL has changed, but old URLs automatically redirect to the new login page. Users' bookmarks will continue to work without any action needed.
Not yet. The mobile app currently uses the previous login flow. It will be updated as part of the broader authentication migration.
No. Existing SSO configurations continue to work as before. The change only affects how the login screen looks and how the sign-in flow is initiated.
MFA is enforced at the Identity Provider (IdP) level, not within deskbird itself. When signing in via SAML or Microsoft OAuth, users are redirected to your company's IdP (e.g. Microsoft Entra ID), which applies any configured MFA policies — including Microsoft Authenticator. deskbird simply receives the authenticated token or assertion after the IdP completes the full authentication and MFA flow. This means your IT team retains full control over MFA enforcement.