Questions
- How do I sign in to Notability with my Bowdoin account?
- Do I need to sign in to Notability to use it?
- Which sign-in option in Notability should I use with my Bowdoin account?
- Will I be asked to use Okta and Okta Verify when I sign in to Notability?
- Does signing in with Google in Notability mean my Bowdoin email is in Gmail?
- How do I sign in to Notability on a Mac or iPad?
Environment
This article applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff using Notability on macOS or iPadOS, on College-managed devices installed through the Self Service app. It assumes your Bowdoin account is set up with Okta and Okta Verify for multi-factor authentication.
- Notability supports sign-in with Google and with Microsoft.
- Both the Google and Microsoft sign-in options route through Bowdoin's Identity Provider (Okta) when you enter your
@bowdoin.edu address.
Resolution
Signing in to Notability is not required to use the app on macOS or iPadOS. Signing in adds the ability to share note links with other people and to browse a few additional page templates. Without signing in, Notability still works, and all backups are kept on your device or synced between devices through iCloud when you use the same Apple ID on both devices.
- Install Notability. On a College-managed Mac or iPad, open the Self Service app and install Notability.
- Open Notability, then choose the gear icon in the upper-left corner. Choose Account, then choose Sign In.
- Select Continue with Google or Continue with Microsoft, then enter your full Bowdoin email address (
yourname@bowdoin.edu). You are redirected to Bowdoin's Okta sign-in.
- Sign in with your Bowdoin password on the Okta page, then approve the Okta Verify prompt on your phone to complete multi-factor authentication.
- If you are asked to choose an account type, pick Work or school account. If you are already signed in to a personal Google or Microsoft account in the browser, choose Use another account and enter your Bowdoin email.
- Complete any on-screen prompts, such as permissions. You are now signed in to Notability with your Bowdoin account.
Note: If you receive an error that the sign-in could not take place or that something went wrong, try again in 5 minutes. The app sometimes creates a Notability account in the background and does not finish quickly enough to log you in on the first attempt.
About Google sign-in: Using Google to sign in does not mean your Bowdoin email is in Gmail. Bowdoin does not use Gmail for email, and authentication still goes through Okta. Bowdoin email is at outlook.office.com, and many Bowdoin services are available through the Bowdoin Login Portal at login.bowdoin.edu.
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.
Additional Resources