Salesforce SSO Login: The Beginner's Guide
If your company uses Single Sign-On (SSO), you do not need a separate Salesforce password. Instead, you use one set of credentials — usually the same login you use for your work email or your company laptop.
What Is Salesforce SSO? (Simple Explanation)
Think of SSO like a VIP badge for your office building. Once you scan in at the front door (your company login), you can walk into any room — Salesforce, Slack, Email — without needing a different key for every door.
Your company's SSO is managed by an identity provider. The most common ones are:
| Identity Provider | Also Known As |
|---|---|
| Okta | Okta SSO |
| Microsoft Azure AD | Entra ID, Microsoft 365 SSO |
| Google Workspace | Google SSO |
| Ping Identity | PingOne, PingFederate |
Your identity provider handles the authentication. Salesforce trusts it, so once your identity provider says "this person is verified," Salesforce lets you in.
How to Log In Using SSO
There are two ways to get into Salesforce when SSO is enabled.
Method 1: The App Tile (Easiest)
1 Log into your company's main portal — for example, your Okta dashboard at yourcompany.okta.com, or Microsoft MyApps at myapps.microsoft.com.
2 Find the Salesforce icon in your list of apps.
3 Click it. You will be redirected straight into Salesforce without being asked for a username or password.
Method 2: The Company URL
1 Go to your company's custom Salesforce URL — for example, https://acme.my.salesforce.com.
2 Look for a button that says "Log In with [Company Name]" or "Use SSO."
3 Click that button. If you are already logged into your computer with your company credentials, you are in.
Can't Find the SSO Button?
If you land on the generic login.salesforce.com page and don't see an SSO option, click Use Custom Domain at the bottom of the page. Type in your company name, and the SSO button will appear on the next screen. See our Custom Domain guide for help finding your URL.
What Beginners Need to Know
You Probably Don't Have a "Salesforce Password"
If your company uses SSO, the "Forgot Password?" link on the Salesforce login page will not work for you. Your password lives with your identity provider, not with Salesforce.
If you are locked out, you need to reset your company/email password — not a Salesforce password. Contact your IT helpdesk.
The "Use Custom Domain" Link Is Your Friend
If you find yourself at the generic login.salesforce.com page with no SSO button in sight:
1 Click Use Custom Domain at the bottom of the page.
2 Type in your company name (e.g., acme).
3 The SSO button will appear on the next screen.
SSO on Mobile
When using the Salesforce Mobile App, SSO does not work automatically. You need to tell the app where to find your company's login page:
1 Open the Salesforce app and tap the three dots (...) or the gear icon in the top corner.
2 Select Change Server (or Custom Domain).
3 Enter your company's custom domain URL (e.g., acme.my.salesforce.com).
4 The app will redirect you to your company's SSO login screen.
Common SSO Problems and Fixes
| Error Message | What It Actually Means | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| "User not found" | You have a company account, but your admin has not connected it to Salesforce yet. | Contact your Salesforce admin and ask them to create or link your user record. |
| "Single Sign-On Error" | A glitch in the handshake between your identity provider and Salesforce. | Close your browser completely, clear cookies for salesforce.com, and try again. |
| Redirecting to a blank page | Your company login session may have expired. | Log out of your identity provider (Okta, Azure, etc.), log back in, then try Salesforce again. |
| "The SSO Identity Provider has been disabled" | Your admin turned off the SSO configuration. | Contact your Salesforce admin — this is a setup issue on the Salesforce side. |
SSO vs. Direct Login: Key Differences
| SSO Login | Direct Login | |
|---|---|---|
| Password | Your company password (managed by IT) | A separate Salesforce password |
| MFA | Handled by your identity provider | Handled by Salesforce Authenticator |
| Password Reset | Through your IT helpdesk | Through Salesforce's "Forgot Password" flow |
| Login URL | Your company portal or custom Salesforce URL | login.salesforce.com or My Domain URL |
| Who to contact when locked out | Your IT helpdesk | Your Salesforce admin |
Who to Call?
If SSO is not working, your Internal IT Helpdesk is usually the team that can fix it. Salesforce Admins handle what you do inside the app, but IT handles the key that gets you in.
For Admins: How SSO Works Behind the Scenes
If you are a Salesforce administrator setting up or troubleshooting SSO:
- SSO uses the SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect protocol to exchange authentication data between Salesforce and your identity provider.
- Configuration lives in Setup → Single Sign-On Settings.
- Each SSO connection requires matching the Entity ID, Login URL, and Certificate between Salesforce and the identity provider.
- SSO satisfies Salesforce's MFA requirement when the identity provider enforces MFA on its end.
- You can enable SSO alongside direct login, or disable direct login entirely to force all users through SSO.
For full setup instructions, refer to Salesforce's official SSO Configuration Guide.