Resetting user passwords

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Admins can reset user passwords by sending a reset email, allowing users to update their passwords securely. If single sign-on (SSO) is enabled, this option isn't available. If needed, account owners can enable admins to manually reset passwords. Avoid manually setting passwords due to security risks.
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<div class="body">
<p class="p">
Admins can reset a user's password by sending a reset email to the user's
registered email
address. The email contains a link that lets the user reset their password.
Only
administrators can send the reset email.
</p>
<p class="p">
If account owners have allowed it, admins can manually set passwords
for users. However, this
is not recommended as a security best practice. You should use the email
reset workflow
instead of setting passwords manually.
</p>
<div class="p">
This article contains the following topics:
<ul class="ul" id="topic_uqb_2r5_w2b__ul_cqc_spy_xgc">
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="#topic_j1j_mpy_xgc">Sending a link to reset a user's password</a>
</li>
<li class="li">
<a class="xref" href="#topic_ovj_mvf_fhc">Manually setting passwords for
users</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_j1j_mpy_xgc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Sending a link to reset a user's password</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">
Admins can reset a password for an admin, agent, or end user by sending
a reset email to
the user's registered email address. The email contains a link that
lets the user reset
their password. Only admins can send the reset password email.
</p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> If single sign-on (SSO)
is used, admins can't send password-reset links to
users.
</div>
</div>
<p class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To reset a team member's password</strong>
</p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_j1j_mpy_xgc__ol_zyg_4s5_w2b">
<li class="li">
<span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_people_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">People</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Team &gt; Team members</strong>.</span>
</li>
<li class="li">
Find the agent's name, click the options menu icon (<img class="image" id="topic_j1j_mpy_xgc__image_vkx_s5y_xgc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ticket_field_options_icon.png">)
on that row, and select
<strong class="ph b">Manage in Support</strong>.
</li>
<li class="li">
On the user's profile page, click the
<strong class="ph b">Security Settings</strong> tab and click
<strong class="ph b">Reset</strong> in the Password section.
<div class="note note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> The password reset email
is sent from the
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408829476378#topic_hyq_l1v_cr" target="_blank">agent brand</a><em class="ph i">if</em>
that brand has an active help center; otherwise, the email
is sent from the
account's oldest brand with an active help center.
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To reset an end-user's password</strong>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_j1j_mpy_xgc__ol_xpg_mdj_wqb">
<li class="li">
<span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408838272410" target="_blank">Support</a>, click <strong class="ph b">Customers</strong>
(<img class="image" id="topic_j1j_mpy_xgc__d8e47" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_people_icon.png">) in the sidebar.</span>
</li>
<li class="li">
Locate the user who forgot their password, then click the
user's name.
</li>
<li class="li">
On the user's profile page, click the
<strong class="ph b">Security Settings</strong> tab and click
<strong class="ph b">Reset</strong> in the Password section.
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ijv_jzg_wmb">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title3">About password reset requests sent to end users in email</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">
In certain situations, Support may not be able to send the password
reset email to an end
user's primary email address. Instead, it will send a
<em class="ph i">reset email</em> to the end user’s
secondary email address that directs them to contact your company
directly so they can
verify their identity and reset their Support password.
</p>
<p class="p">The email looks like this:</p>
<pre class="pre codeblock wysiwyg-code-block"><code>

You need to verify your email address to reset your password. Contact [company name] at [email address] to fix this.

If this wasn't you, contact [company name] at [email address].
</code></pre>
<p class="p">This may occur when the following criteria are met:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ijv_jzg_wmb__ul_sfg_qzg_wmb">
<li class="li" dir="ltr">
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408883587226" target="_blank">Single sign-on (SSO)</a>
is disabled.
<p class="p">
If SSO is
turned on, you can't send password-reset links to end
users.
</p>
</li>
<li class="li" dir="ltr">The end user’s primary email address is undeliverable.</li>
<li class="li" dir="ltr">The end user has a secondary email address.</li>
<li class="li" dir="ltr">
The end user submitted a request via email to reset their
primary email
address.
</li>
</ul>
<p class="p" dir="ltr">
After the end user receives the reset email, you and the end
user need to
complete these steps:
</p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_ijv_jzg_wmb__ol_w2j_tzg_wmb">
<li class="li" dir="ltr">
The end user verifies their secondary email address or changes
their primary
email address.
</li>
<li class="li">
An agent manually resets the end user’s password or updates
their email address on
file.
<p class="p">
Resetting passwords for end users is different from
<a class="xref" href="#topic_ovj_mvf_fhc">setting passwords for users</a>.
Even if
admins don't have permission to set passwords for users,
they can still send end users
password reset emails.
</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ovj_mvf_fhc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Manually setting passwords for users</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">
Account owners can allow admins to manually set passwords for users.
However, Zendesk
recommends that you not activate this option for security reasons.
</p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ewb_rwt_ygc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">Recommendation and best practice for this setting </h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">
Zendesk recommends that you not activate the option for admins
to manually set passwords
for security reasons. It prevents hackers from using social engineering
techniques to
deceive well-meaning people into providing confidential information.
</p>
<p class="p">
For example, one technique used by hackers is to repeatedly call
or spoof-email a support
center posing as a frustrated customer who forgot their password
and is unable to recover
it, and persisting until an agent has no choice but to change
the password manually for
the irate customer. Once the password is changed, the hacker
has access to confidential
information.
</p>
<p class="p">
Rather than allow admins to set passwords for users, it is best
to allow users to
leverage user registration, change password and forgot password
flows to manage their own
passwords so admins never have access to a user's password.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_jdm_xry_xgc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Allowing admins to set passwords</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">
Account owners can allow admins to set passwords for users. Remember,
Zendesk recommends
that you not activate this option for security reasons. You must
be an account owner to
allow admins to set passwords.
</p>
<p class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To allow admins to set passwords for users</strong>
</p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_jdm_xry_xgc__ol_kfd_3m5_kj">
<li class="li" dir="ltr">
<span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_jdm_xry_xgc__d7e357" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_account_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Account</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Security &gt; Advanced</strong>.</span>
</li>
<li class="li">
On the <strong class="ph b">Passwords</strong> tab, select
<strong class="ph b">Enable admins to set passwords</strong>.
<p class="p">
You must
be the account owner to see this setting.
</p>
</li>
<li class="li">
Click <strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.
<p class="p">
When the admins sets passwords for users, users receive
an email
letting them know the administrator has set their password.
</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested2" id="topic_jch_yry_xgc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title7">Setting passwords for users</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">
If allowed by the account owner, admins can manually set passwords
for users.
</p>
<p class="p">
You can also set user passwords through the API (see
<a class="xref" href="https://developer.zendesk.com/api-reference/ticketing/users/user_passwords/#set-a-users-password" target="_blank">Set a User's Password</a>
in the developer docs).
</p>
<p class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To set a team member's password</strong>
</p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_jch_yry_xgc__ol_vlp_bsy_xgc">
<li class="li">
<span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_people_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">People</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Team &gt; Team members</strong>.</span>
</li>
<li class="li">
Find the agent's name, click the options menu icon (<img class="image" id="topic_jch_yry_xgc__image_bpg_qck_wxb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ticket_field_options_icon.png">)
on that row, and select
<strong class="ph b">Manage in Support</strong>.
</li>
<li class="li">
On the user's profile page, click the
<strong class="ph b">Security Settings</strong> tab and click
<strong class="ph b">Set</strong> in the Password section.
</li>
<li class="li">Enter a new password for the user.</li>
<li class="li">
Click <strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.
</li>
</ol>
<div class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To set an end user's password</strong>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_jch_yry_xgc__ol_xlp_bsy_xgc">
<li class="li">
<span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408838272410" target="_blank">Support</a>, click <strong class="ph b">Customers</strong>
(<img class="image" id="topic_jch_yry_xgc__d8e47" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ac_people_icon.png">) in the sidebar.</span>
</li>
<li class="li">
Locate the user who forgot their password, then click
the user's name.
</li>
<li class="li">
On the user's profile page, click the
<strong class="ph b">Security Settings</strong> tab and
click
<strong class="ph b">Set</strong> in the Password section.
</li>
<li class="li">Enter a new password for the user.</li>
<li class="li">
Click <strong class="ph b">Save</strong>.
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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