Single sign-on (SSO) lets your members sign in to BioRender using your organization's existing identity provider - the same login they use for other work tools. No separate BioRender password.
This article covers who can set up SSO, what we need from you and what the process looks like.
For all related inquired reach out to sso@biorender.com.
Table of Contents
Before you start: eligibility
SSO is available to organizations that meet all of the following:
- You have a paid BioRender organization subscription with SSO included as part of your contract (Enterprise, Academic Organization, Industry Team)
- Your purchase order (PO) is signed
- Your organization account has been created in BioRender and assigned to a Customer Success Manager
⚠️ We will not be able to start SSO setup unless these have been completed. If your subscription isn't live yet, there's no organization for us to connect your identity provider to. Talk to your BioRender Account Executive or Customer Success Manager first - they'll let you know when you're ready.
Not sure? If you don't know who your BioRender Customer Success Manager is, feel free to reach out to our Support team for further guidance.
What we support
- Authentication system: BioRender uses Auth0, an industry-leading authentication and authorization platform that allows us to maintain high security standards.
- Identity providers: BioRender is compatible with all identity providers that support SAML 2.0 — including Okta, Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, and Shibboleth.
- Login methods: BioRender supports a single login method only. Once SSO is set up, all users in your organization are required to log in with SSO. If SSO is not set up, users log in with email and password. There is no per-user opt-out.
- We support both:
- SP-initiated (Service Provider Initiated): users go to BioRender.com and your IdP authenticates them.
- IdP-initiated (Identity Provider Initiated): users log in to your IdP and select the BioRender app.
- Provisioning: BioRender supports Just In Time (JIT) provisioning - user accounts are created automatically on first sign-in.
- Certificates: See “Certificate renewal” below.
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Attributes (Required/Optional)
- First name: Required
- Last name: Required
- Email: Required
- Department: Optional
- Role: Optional
- Cost Center: Optional
Other SSO requests
Already have SSO set up? These are the most common follow-up requests and who should submit. Please reach out to sso@biorender.com for support with the following:
Certificate renewal
Your SSO signing certificate expires periodically. When it does, your users will be blocked from signing in. If we spot the upcoming expiry first, we'll contact your admin directly - usually around 30 days out. If your IdP notifies you first, fill out the form to schedule the update. Who submits: your admin or IT contact. Don't wait. Coordinating a certificate swap takes time, and an expired certificate locks your whole organization out.
Changing your identity provider
Migrating from one IdP to another (for example, Entra ID to Okta) means reconfiguring everything: attributes, certificate, and mapping. Treat this like a new setup and give us as much lead time as possible. Who submits: your admin or IT contact.
Troubleshooting an existing SSO connection
Users can't sign in, or something has stopped working. Include what's happening, which users are affected, when it started, and any error messages. Who submits: your admin or IT contact.
Security questionnaire
If your security or procurement team needs details on how BioRender handles SSO, check this article first - it should answer most standard questions. If you still need a questionnaire completed, submit a request and we'll help. Who submits: your admin, IT, or security contact.
Frequently asked questions
Can we set up SSO before we sign?
No. We need an active, paid organization to connect your identity provider to.
Can we require SSO for everyone, or is it optional per user?
SSO applies to your whole organization. BioRender supports one login method at a time - once SSO is live, all users sign in through your IdP. There's no per-user opt-out.
Which identity providers do you support?
Any provider that supports SAML 2.0.
Do users need to be created in BioRender before they can sign in?
No. We support Just In Time (JIT) provisioning, so accounts are created on first sign-in.
Can we test SSO in a sandbox first?
No, however if you are experiencing issues, we can always schedule a supportive call and provide next steps to resolve the issue.
Do users lose their existing files when we switch to SSO?
No, you will never lose your files. If you cannot see your files in your account, it’s possible a duplicate account was created. Reach out to our Support team at support@biorender.com if you need further investigation.
How long does it take?
It varies. Straightforward setups can be done in a day. More complex configurations - or ones where we're waiting on information from your IT team - can take a few weeks. The fastest setups are the ones where the requester provides complete information upfront and has authority to make IdP changes.
How does SSO setup work for new organizations?
If your BioRender organization is new or has no existing users, we'll configure and test your SSO connection so everyone can sign in using SSO from day one.
What happens to existing users when my organization switches to SSO?
If your organization already has active users, switching to SSO will change how everyone signs in. Since BioRender supports only one login method per organization, all users must transition to SSO at the same time. Once enabled, users will no longer be able to sign in with their existing BioRender email and password.
Before making the switch, we'll work with you and your Customer Success Manager to communicate the change and prepare users for the transition. Some accounts may require additional assistance depending on their setup.
When submitting your SSO request, please include the number of active users in your organization to help us plan a smooth transition.
Still need help?
Contact your BioRender Customer Success Manager, or email sso@biorender.com
