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The Australian Taxation Office’s digital-identity app, formerly called myGovID, became myID in November 2024. It was a name and branding change, not a replacement identity system: existing users kept their account, login details, identity strength and connected services. Most people did not need to do anything beyond updating the app if their phone did not update it automatically.
A separate policy development matters in 2026. From 1 December 2026, accredited private Digital ID providers may participate in selected government services. Businesses that use myID to verify customers are expected to start contributing to system costs by 1 January 2027 at the latest, while individuals can continue using myID free of charge.
What changed from myGovID to myID?
The ATO announced in September 2024 that myGovID would be renamed myID. The change was rolled out from 13 to 17 November 2024, and the app is now officially called myID. Its appearance and name changed, but the underlying Digital ID did not.
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- Your existing myGovID account continued as the same myID account.
- Your email address, login details and established identity-strength level stayed the same.
- You did not need to create another account or repeat identity verification solely because of the rename.
- Government services that accepted myGovID continued to use the app under its new name.
The stated reason was to reduce confusion between the identity app and the separate myGov services portal, while positioning the app as a broader whole-of-government Digital ID. See the ATO announcement and myID’s rename notice.
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What existing users should do now
- Check your phone for the app labelled myID. If it still shows myGovID, update it through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Do not install an APK, emailed attachment or app from an unverified website; use the official download links at myID.gov.au.
- When a service asks you to choose an identity provider, select myID. During transition periods, a service could temporarily display both names.
- Keep using your existing myID email address and sign-in method. Do not create a second account to reflect the new name.
- Confirm that myID remains connected to the intended myGov account if you use Digital ID to sign in.
Official guidance says existing users did not need new verification or different credentials; an app update or a separate account-linking problem may still require attention. Details are set out at myID’s user guidance and the ATO update instructions.
myID and myGov are different
| Product | What it does | How it relates to the other |
|---|---|---|
| myID | A mobile Digital ID app that helps prove who you are online. | Can be used as a sign-in method for a connected myGov account. |
| myGov | The account and website where you access services such as the ATO and Centrelink. | Can accept myID as one of its Digital ID sign-in options. |
Renaming myGovID did not rename or replace the myGov portal. The Australian Government explains the distinction at my.gov.au’s Digital ID help page.
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Using myID to reach ATO services
You can connect myID to myGov and then open linked ATO online services. The ATO describes an “online access strength” based on the identity strength of your Digital ID. Digital ID remains voluntary.
Current myGov sign-in sequence
- Open the myGov sign-in page and choose Sign in with Digital ID.
- Select myID as the identity provider.
- Enter the email address used for myID and select Get code.
- Open the myID app and unlock it with your 10-character password, face recognition or fingerprint recognition.
- Enter or accept the four-digit code shown in the app.
- Review the information requested by myGov and select Consent.
If you enter ATO services through myGov using Digital ID, myGov says you generally need to keep using myID at the same or a higher identity strength for those services. See the official sign-in steps and the ATO explanation of online access strength.
Identity-strength requirements vary by task
Do not assume every ATO or myGov function requires the highest level. Current myGov guidance says:
- Standard ID strength is required to sign in to myGov, create a new myGov account or create a digital Commonwealth statutory declaration through myGov.
- Strong ID strength is required to link Centrelink to myGov or recover myGov access when normal sign-in details cannot be used.
Individual services can set their own minimum. If an ATO action fails, check the requirement for that service and whether the myID connected to your myGov account has the required level.
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The 2026 policy change is separate from the rename
The June 2026 announcement concerns the Australian Government Digital ID System, not a second rename of the ATO app.
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From 1 December 2026, accredited private Digital ID providers may participate in selected government services. A service could choose a private provider where it better meets a need, including verification involving some foreign-issued identity documents. Participation depends on accreditation and the individual service; private providers will not be accepted for higher-risk government services. The policy is described in the Finance Minister’s announcement.
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Who may be charged?
Individuals can continue to create and use myID without a user fee. Businesses that use myID to verify people for their own services are treated as relying parties and are expected to begin contributing to system costs by 1 January 2027 at the latest. Final pricing is subject to consultation; this does not announce a new charge for ordinary myID users. See the Digital ID System policy statement.
Security and scam warnings
A publicised app rename can be used in phishing messages. Treat these requests as suspicious:
- “Set up your new myID again” or “reconfirm your identity after the name change.”
- Requests to upload identity documents through an SMS link, email attachment or non-official website.
- Instructions to provide your myID password or approval code to another person.
The official position is that existing users did not need to recreate or reverify their identity because of the rename. Open the app or type myID.gov.au yourself rather than following an unsolicited link.
Quick Recap
If myGov or ATO access does not work
- The app has not changed name: check the Apple App Store or Google Play for the official update.
- You cannot find myGovID in a sign-in list: look for myID; some services may have shown both names during the transition.
- myGov signs in but ATO access fails: check that myID is linked to the correct myGov account and that its identity strength meets the particular ATO service’s requirement.
- A previous sign-in method worked but now does not: you may be attempting an ATO service with a weaker identity method than the one used to establish your online access strength.
- You have more than one account: confirm that you are using the myID and myGov accounts previously linked to your tax services; do not create another account just because the app was renamed.
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