Questions
- How do I add a recovery email address to my Bowdoin Okta account?
- How do I add a phone number to my Okta profile?
- Where do I update my personal information in Okta?
- Why should I add a secondary email to my Okta account?
- How do I make sure I can reset my Bowdoin password if I forget it?
- Can I change my email address or phone number in Okta?
- Why did I get an email from Okta saying my email address is being changed?
- I added a backup email in Okta and now I got a “Confirm Email Change” email — did I accidentally change my Bowdoin email?
- I received a confirmation email from Okta about an email change but I never asked to change anything — what does this mean?
- Do I need to click the confirmation link in the Okta verification email?
Environment
This article applies to all Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students. The steps are completed at login.bowdoin.edu from any web browser on a computer or iPad.
Resolution
Okta stores a small amount of personal information — a secondary email address and an optional phone number — used only for account security functions like password resets. Bowdoin IT staff cannot see this information. Adding a secondary email is strongly recommended, as it allows you to receive password reset links even when you cannot access your Bowdoin email.
- Open a web browser and go to login.bowdoin.edu. Sign in with your Bowdoin username and password, and complete multi-factor authentication if prompted.
- In the upper-right corner of the screen, click the dropdown next to your name and select Settings.
- On the Settings page, click the green Edit Profile button. You may be asked to sign in again to confirm your identity.
- Under the Personal Information panel, click Edit.
- Enter your information in the available fields:
- Secondary Email Address: Enter a personal, non-Bowdoin email address. This is strongly recommended.
- Mobile Phone: Enter a mobile phone number if you have one. This field is optional.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save.
About the “Confirm Email Change” message from Okta: After saving, Okta will send a verification email to the backup address you entered. The subject line or button may say “Confirm Email Change” — but this does not change your Bowdoin email address in any way. It is simply Okta’s way of confirming that you own the backup address you entered. Click the Confirm Email Change button in that email to complete the process. You may be prompted to sign in to Okta again to confirm. If you do not confirm, the backup email address will not be saved.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.