Internet Identity 2.0 is set to take a decisive step forward later this month, with id.ai becoming its new primary home from January 26. The shift marks a change in how users and developers interact with identity on the Internet Computer, with a focus on smoother sign-ins, fewer friction points and better alignment across the ecosystem.
From the end of January, the long-standing domains identity.ic0.app and identity.internetcomputer.org will continue to function, but they will serve a redesigned interface. Anyone accessing Internet Identity through those legacy addresses will be guided through an upgrade process to the new experience. Existing identities, app connections and recovery methods will carry over, though users will be prompted to add a new passkey tied to the id.ai domain.
For users, the most visible change is simplicity. Anchor numbers, long viewed as a barrier for newcomers, are no longer part of the sign-in flow. Alongside passkeys, Internet Identity 2.0 supports familiar options such as Google, Apple and Microsoft logins. The intention is to reduce the cognitive load of managing credentials while keeping the underlying identity model intact.
The transition is designed to be gradual rather than disruptive. Users who upgrade directly at id.ai ahead of the January 26 date can do so on their own terms. Those who wait and access Internet Identity through the older URLs after that point will see the new interface by default and will need to complete the upgrade before continuing. In either case, the team says app access and account relationships will remain unchanged.
Developers are being encouraged to act sooner rather than later. Applications that switch to id.ai now can immediately support users who already rely on the newer identity flow, including those coming from applications such as Caffeine. This avoids splitting the user base across different identity experiences and reduces confusion during onboarding.
There is also a practical incentive. Applications that do not update by the January 26 deadline will still work, but their users will encounter the new interface and be guided through an upgrade automatically. Updating in advance allows developers to test the flow, address edge cases and ensure the transition feels seamless for their communities.
To support this, a guided upgrade feature is already available. By pointing their authentication configuration to id.ai with the upgrade flag enabled, developers can ensure that users signing in with older identities are walked through the process step by step, without losing access or data.
The Identity team plans to formalise these changes with a proposal on January 23, covering the rollout of the new product on legacy URLs and enabling the guided upgrade flow by default. Feedback during this window is being actively sought, with the team asking developers to flag issues early to minimise disruption.
The move to id.ai reflects a broader effort to make Internet Identity easier to use and easier to integrate, particularly for users arriving from outside the crypto-native world. While the underlying principles remain unchanged, the experience around them is being reshaped to feel more familiar, flexible and approachable.
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