Signing In with Google, Facebook, or Microsoft

5-10 minutes

Tutorial 1.5: Signing In with Google, Facebook, or Microsoft

Introduction

Luminate supports social login so you can sign in with your existing Google, Facebook, or Microsoft account instead of remembering another password. This tutorial explains how social login works, how to link and unlink providers, and how to manage your connected accounts.

Who this is for: All users (Owner, Admin, Manager, Staff, Receptionist) What you'll learn:

Sign in or register with a social account
What happens when your social email matches an existing Luminate account
How two-factor authentication works with social login
Set a password if you signed up with a social account
Link and unlink social accounts in Settings
Understand when you cannot disconnect a provider

Time to complete: 5-10 minutes

Prerequisites

A Google, Facebook, or Microsoft account
Your salon's Luminate URL
Social login must be enabled for your Luminate instance (your salon owner or administrator will have configured this)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sign In with a Social Account

Go to your Luminate login page
Below the email and password fields, you'll see a divider that reads "or continue with"
Click one of the social login buttons:
- Continue with Google
- Continue with Facebook
- Continue with Microsoft
You'll be redirected to the provider's login page (Google, Facebook, or Microsoft)
Sign in to your social account and grant Luminate permission
You'll be redirected back to Luminate and logged in

Note: The social login buttons only appear if your Luminate instance has been configured with the relevant provider credentials. If you don't see them, ask your salon owner.

Step 2: Register with a Social Account

If you don't yet have a Luminate account, you can create one using social login:

Go to the Luminate registration page
Below the registration form, you'll see the social login buttons labelled "Sign up with" instead of "Continue with"
Click the provider you want to use
Sign in to your social account and grant permission
Luminate creates your account automatically using your name and email from the provider

What happens when you register with a social account:

Your email address is automatically verified (since the provider has already confirmed it)
You do not need to set a password -- your social account is your login method
You can set a password later from Settings if you'd like an alternative way to sign in (see Step 5)

Step 3: What Happens When Your Email Already Exists

If you click a social login button and the email address from your social account matches an existing Luminate account, Luminate automatically links the social provider to your existing account. You don't need to do anything extra -- next time, you can sign in using either your password or the social login button.

This means you won't accidentally create a duplicate account if you've already registered with the same email address.

Step 4: Two-Factor Authentication with Social Login

If your Luminate account has two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, you'll still be asked for your 2FA code after signing in with a social provider. Social login does not bypass two-factor authentication.

The flow is:

Click a social login button and authenticate with the provider
Luminate recognises your account and sees that 2FA is enabled
You're shown the two-factor challenge screen
Enter your authentication code or use a recovery code
You're logged in

Step 5: Setting a Password (Social-Only Accounts)

If you registered using a social account, you may not have a Luminate password. You can set one from Settings so you have an alternative way to sign in:

Click your name and avatar in the top-right corner
Select Profile to open Settings
Click the Password tab
Because you don't have a current password, the "Current password" field is not shown
Enter your new password and confirm it
Click Update Password

Once set, you can sign in using either your password or your social account.

Step 6: Managing Connected Accounts

To see which social accounts are linked to your Luminate account:

Click your name and avatar in the top-right corner
Select Profile to open Settings
Click the Connected Accounts tab

Note: The Connected Accounts tab only appears if at least one social login provider is enabled for your Luminate instance.

On this page, you'll see each available provider with its current status:

Status	What It Means
Connected (green badge)	This provider is linked to your account. The email address used is shown below the provider name.
Connect button	This provider is available but not yet linked. Click to link it.

To link a new provider:

Click Connect next to the provider
You'll be redirected to sign in with that provider
Once authenticated, you're returned to Settings and the provider shows as Connected

Step 7: Disconnecting a Social Account

If you want to unlink a social provider from your account:

Go to Settings > Connected Accounts
Click Disconnect next to the provider you want to remove
A confirmation dialog appears
If you have a password set, you'll need to enter your current password to confirm
Click Disconnect to confirm

When you cannot disconnect:

If you signed up with a social account and haven't set a password, you cannot disconnect your only social provider. Doing so would leave you with no way to sign in.
In this case, an amber warning message appears: "You don't have a password set. To disconnect your social account, please set a password first."
Click the set a password link to go to the Password tab and create a password, then return to disconnect the provider.

You can always reconnect a provider later by clicking Connect again.

Common Pitfalls

"I don't see any social login buttons on the login page"

Social login buttons only appear when your Luminate instance has been configured with provider credentials. Contact your salon owner or Luminate support if you expect to see them.

"I clicked a social button but got an error"

This can happen if:

The provider is temporarily unavailable -- try again in a few minutes
Your browser blocked the redirect -- check your popup blocker settings
There was a session timeout -- return to the login page and try again

"I registered with Google but now want to use my email and password instead"

Go to Settings > Password and set a password. Once set, you can use either method to sign in. You can also disconnect Google from Settings > Connected Accounts if you no longer want to use it.

"I accidentally linked the wrong Google/Microsoft/Facebook account"

Go to Settings > Connected Accounts and click Disconnect on the provider. Then click Connect again and sign in with the correct account.

"The Disconnect button is greyed out"

You cannot disconnect your only authentication method. If you signed up with a social account and have no password, set a password first via Settings > Password.

Tips and Best Practices

Link multiple providers for flexibility -- if one provider has an outage, you can still sign in with another
Set a password as a backup even if you prefer social login -- it ensures you always have a way to sign in
Enable two-factor authentication for additional security, regardless of how you sign in
Use the same email across your social accounts and Luminate to keep everything linked automatically
Review your connected accounts periodically in Settings to ensure only the providers you use are linked

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sign in with one provider and register with another?

Yes. You can use any enabled provider to sign in. If you registered with Google, you can later link Facebook or Microsoft from Settings and use any of them to sign in.

Does social login bypass two-factor authentication?

No. If your account has 2FA enabled, you'll still be prompted for your authentication code after the social login step.

What information does Luminate receive from my social account?

Luminate receives your name, email address, and profile picture from the provider. It does not access your contacts, calendar, or any other data.

Can staff members use social login?

Yes, all user types (Owner, Admin, Manager, Staff, Receptionist) can use social login. Staff members who receive an invitation email can set up their account and then link a social provider from Settings.

What happens to my account if I delete my Google/Facebook/Microsoft account?

You won't be able to sign in with that provider any more, but your Luminate account and all its data remain intact. Sign in with your password instead, or link a different provider.

Can I use social login on my phone?

Yes. Social login works on mobile browsers. You'll be redirected to the provider's mobile login flow and then back to Luminate.

Is social login as secure as a regular password?

Social login is generally considered very secure because it relies on the provider's authentication (Google, Facebook, or Microsoft), which typically includes their own security measures. For maximum security, enable two-factor authentication on both your Luminate account and your social provider account.

Last Updated: February 2026