Portal user login help

Portal users will learn how to log in as a Portal user, Finalsite's term for a student, parent (families or family member). guardian, or staff member, including where to find the login page and how to resolve a missing password reset email.

• General website visitors without a school-issued account should see Public user login help instead.
• Website admins should see Admin user login help instead.

In this article

• Find the login page
  • Check other locations for the login page
• Log in, or set up an account for the first time
  • Use the Legacy login experience
  • Use the Connected SSO experience
• Resolve an account locked after too many attempts
  • Resolve a Legacy login lockout
  • Resolve a Connected SSO lockout
• Resolve a missing reset email
• Resolve a login screen that keeps returning
  • Why the school is the right place to ask

Find the login page

Most schools and districts use this pattern:

[www.yoursite.com](https://www.yoursite.com) to [www.yoursite.com/login](https://www.yoursite.com/login)

Check other locations for the login page

If /login doesn't work, or the starting point is unclear, try:

• Main navigation menu. Look for a button labeled Portal, Family Portal, Parent Portal, Student Portal, or Login, often in the top or utility navigation.
• Footer. Login links are often repeated at the bottom of the homepage.
• Email from the school. Many schools send a direct login link when an account is first set up or when a new login experience is announced.
• Mobile app. If the school uses one, it may prompt sign-in with the same credentials as the website.
• A dedicated portal landing page. Some sites use a page like Family Portal that links out to the login screen rather than showing it directly.

If the login page still cannot be found, contact the school or district directly. Since accounts are managed there, staff can confirm the account exists and provide the correct link.

Log in, or set up an account for the first time

What appears next depends on which login experience the school uses. Comparing screens on the Connected SSO and Legacy login: Which experience does my site use? page can help. Knowing the technical difference isn't required; simply follow whichever set of options actually appears on screen.

Use the Legacy login experience

Applies when a Forgot username or password link appears on the login screen. The account already exists; only a password needs to be set.

• Click Forgot username or password on the login page.
• Enter the email address on file with the school.
• Check that inbox for a reset email. The link inside is valid for one hour.
• Click the link, set a password, and log back in.

Full details: see Forgot username or password in Legacy login experience.

Use the Connected SSO experience

Applies when sign-in options like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, or a create account option appear on the login screen.

• Returning users: log in with an email and password, or a chosen identity provider such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook, or Apple.
• New users: Create account may be available directly from the login screen; email verification completes setup.
• Forgot password: after 3 failed login attempts, automatic redirect to a password reset page occurs, and a reset link is emailed.

Full details: see Log in to Finalsite: The connected SSO experience.

Resolve an account locked after too many attempts

The way to unlock the account depends on which login experience the school uses.

Resolve a Legacy login lockout

Applies when a Forgot username or password link appears on the login screen.

• The account locks after 8 incorrect password attempts, or 3 failed "I'm not a robot" checks.
• Waiting a few minutes and trying again usually resolves it. Forgot username or password also resets it directly.
• Legacy login never asks for a verification code. A code request means the school is actually using Connected SSO.

Resolve a Connected SSO lockout

Applies when sign-in options like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, or a create account option appear on the login screen.

• Connected SSO adds multi-factor authentication (MFA): a short code sent by email, or generated in an authenticator app, on top of the password. This extra step keeps the account safe even if the password is guessed.
• The account locks the same way as the Legacy experience: after 3 incorrect password attempts, for 10 minutes. Entering an incorrect multi-factor authentication code does not lock the account, however many times it happens.

Troubleshoot a code that won't work

A wrong or rejected code is never a lockout, so there's no need to wait it out.

• Check that the device's date and time are set to update automatically. A code can look correct and still fail if the device's clock has drifted.
• If the QR code is missing or won't scan, or the authenticator app was reinstalled or moved to a new phone, return to the account's multi-factor authentication setup screen to enroll again rather than reusing the old entry.
• Using email instead of an authenticator app? Check the spam or junk folder, and confirm the email address on file is correct.
• For help with an authenticator app, see Download Microsoft Authenticator or Get verification codes with Google Authenticator.

Resolve a missing reset email

A missing reset email is one of the most common login issues, and it's almost always caused by the message being blocked or filtered somewhere between Finalsite and the inbox, not by anything wrong with the account. Before trying again:

• Double-check the email address. It must exactly match the one on file with the school.
• Check the spam or junk folder.
• Confirm the correct website. The URL shown on the login screen should be the school's actual