# How do I login using GitHub authentication instead of a password?

**URL:** <https://www.rubin.community/t/how-do-i-login-using-github-authentication-instead-of-a-password/31>\
**Category:** Meta\
**Tags:** forum-howto\
**Created:** [August 8, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/how-do-i-login-using-github-authentication-instead-of-a-password/31 "2015-08-08T00:38:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![jsick](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/www.rubin.community/jsick/32/672_2.png) [@jsick](https://www.rubin.community/u/jsick)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://www.rubin.community/t/how-do-i-login-using-github-authentication-instead-of-a-password/31/2 "2015-08-08T01:29:37Z")

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Yes. To do this, first log out of your account using the button in your Profile menu, shown here:

 ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/rubin/original/1X/b3e75fca939989b0462eaa0ace45c2599a724c70.png) 

Next, log back into [community.lsst.org](http://community.lsst.org). But instead of entering your username and password, just hit the “with GitHub” button:

 ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/rubin/original/1X/6f60111ac5882fcb4145303b68933553902b0e49.png)

That will open up a separate window on GitHub’s site where you can authorize [community.lsst.org](http://community.lsst.org) to use your GitHub credentials.

That’s all that’s needed to start using GitHub to log into [community.lsst.org](http://community.lsst.org)

## If GitHub Authentication wants you to create a new account

For some people, instead of logging you into your existing account, using GitHub authentication will cause you to start creating a new account (a dialog will appear asking you to choose a new username and password).

This happened because the email you used to create your [community.lsst.org](http://community.lsst.org) account is different from the _primary_ email associated with your GitHub account. _Even if you have additional emails associated with your GitHub account, only the primary email counts._

The best way to fix this problem is to change the email associated with your [community.lsst.org](http://community.lsst.org) account:

1. Exit the dialog wanting you to create a new account (don’t make a new account),
2. Log into [community.lsst.org](http://community.lsst.org) using your original username and password,
3. Go to your **Profile Icon** and click on **Preferences**.
4. In your preferences page, change the email address you use on [community.lsst.org](http://community.lsst.org) to your GitHub account’s primary email address,
5. Try the process described at the top of this post (logout and log back in with the GitHub button).

It should work now.

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_[View the full topic](https://www.rubin.community/t/how-do-i-login-using-github-authentication-instead-of-a-password/31)._