One of the most impactful aspects of mobile deployment is successfully onboarding users. The easier it is for users to download and access content, even with strict privacy levels like invite-only, the higher the chances are of getting the app into everyone’s hands.
To this end, login links enable users to more securely onboard to invite-only guides, on mobile and on Guidebook Web, in fewer steps without needing to enter a temporary password. This is made possible by using the security of a user’s email inbox for authentication rather than a temporary password written in plain text. This eliminates common issues like incorrectly entering the temporary password, forgetting an existing password, having to complete the password reset procedure, users writing down their passwords, etc.
Using Login Links
A login link is currently available in four scenarios:
- When a user taps on a hyperlink to download an invite-only guide from their invitation email
- When a user is accessing an invite-only guide on the Guidebook Web page
- When a user taps a link to open an invite-only guide from the Guidebook Web Page
- When a user is logging into their account
The user may choose to input their log-in credentials or use the log-in link for passwordless authentication.
If the user provided their email address before tapping “Email me a login link”, then this field will be auto-filled.
If a user is accessing an invite-only guide, the user will be prompted to enter the email address to which they received an invitation after clicking on the link from the email. Once they enter their email, they will find a new email with a Continue button that logs them into the guide on that device.
On mobile, if prompted to select an app with which to open the link, make sure to select Guidebook or the branded app you are accessing, not a browser.
For a user with an existing Guidebook account, that’s the final step.
If they are a first-time Guidebook user, they will see two more screens to complete their account setup.
Troubleshooting
If you are unable to find the Login link email, please check your spam filter to check that it has not been filtered from your Inbox. The email is sent from the address guidebot@guidebook.com.
If you can not log in after trying the troubleshooting below, please reach out to support@guidebook.com, our support team will be happy to help.
Troubleshooting for Android User
If the mobile browser is set to “Always Open” login links
If a user selects to “Always Open” the login link with their mobile browser, they will need to adjust that setting on their device.
To do this, open the device’s “Settings” menu, select the Apps folder, and then open Guidebook. Expand the “Advanced options” and then tap on Open by default. Under “Opening Links”, choose the option to Open in this app for supported links.
Once this change is made, the user can request a new login link from the Guidebook app and tap on it to log in.
Opening from the Gmail application
If the user is using the Gmail application, they may still experience problems getting the app to open via a login link due to the Gmail app settings.
To check that Gmail settings are not preventing the Continue to app option to show, open the Gmail app and tap on the hamburger icon. Select Settings then General Settings. Uncheck the option towards the bottom that states “Open web links in Gmail”. Once this is deselected, force close the app and try the process again.
Troubleshooting for iOS Users
If the link opened in Safari rather than Guidebook
If a user accidentally long taps on the link in their invitation email and selects to open Safari instead of Guidebook, they will need to repeat the same steps but select Guidebook.
- Long tap on the invitation email link and choose Open in Guidebook
- When the Guidebook app opens, tap the Resend It button to request a new login link.
- Open the new email and tap the login link to log in to Guidebook
FAQs
If you're stuck on a specific login link problem, start with the matching question below. For OS-specific deep dives (Gmail settings, Android default app behavior, iOS Safari override), see the Troubleshooting section above.
- I didn't get my login link email. Check your spam, junk, and promotions folders first — login link emails can be filtered. The email comes from guidebot@guidebook.com. Confirm you entered the same email address your invitation was sent to (only approved email addresses work for invite-only guides). If still nothing, request another login link — they're single-use and expire after 30 minutes, so older requests may be invalidated by newer ones.
- My login link says it's expired. Login links expire 30 minutes after they're requested. Return to the app and request another email to get a fresh link.
- It says my email "does not match any on our list." Invite-only guides restrict access to approved email addresses. Make sure you're entering the exact email the invitation was sent to. If you think the address should be on the list, your event organizer can add it via Audience Management on the Users tab of the guide. Please reach out to them directly to request your email be added to their invite list - Guidebook Support is unable to add users to invite-only guides without permission from organization admins.
- I opened the link on my computer but it told me to use my mobile device. Login links requested from a mobile device only work from that same mobile device. Open the link on your phone or tablet instead. (For invite-only Guidebook Web pages, login links opened on the same computer where you started the flow do work — see the Using Login Links section.)
- When I tap the link, my phone asks where to open it. What do I pick? Choose Guidebook (or your event's branded app) — not a browser. If you accidentally pick a browser like Chrome, you'll see a message saying the link must be opened from a mobile device.
- On Android, I picked "Always Open" with my browser and now the link doesn't open the app. On your Android device: Settings → Apps → Guidebook → Advanced options → Open by default → Opening Links → Open in this app for supported links. Once that's set, request a new login link from the Guidebook app and tap it. If you're using the Gmail app and the "Continue to app" option isn't showing, see the Troubleshooting section above for the Gmail-specific setting.
- On iOS, the link opened in Safari instead of Guidebook. Long-tap the link in your invitation email and choose "Open in Guidebook" instead of Safari. When the Guidebook app opens, tap Resend It to request a fresh login link, then tap the new link to sign in. Full walkthrough in the Troubleshooting section above.
- I have a Guidebook account but forgot my password — can I use a login link instead? Yes. Login links work for existing accounts as a passwordless alternative. Enter your email at the sign-in screen and tap the Email me a login link option to receive a one-time login link. No password reset required as long as you can access the email tied to your account.
- Can I still log in with my password? Yes. After entering your email, tap Log in with a password instead to use your existing password (or a temporary password if your organizer issued one).
- How are login links more secure than passwords? Login links delegate authentication to your email account, which is typically protected by stronger security than a written-down password. They're also single-use and expire after 30 minutes, which limits the window for interception. No temporary passwords floating around in plain text.