https://www.epo.org/en/applying/myepo-services/get-access

Get access

To access MyEPO Portfolio, Online Filing 2.0, Online Filing (eOLF) and Central Fee Payment, you will need to sign in via your EPO account using two-factor authentication.

 
Access via EPO smart card stops on 31 Dec 2024

EPO online services can be accessed using either an EPO smart card or two-factor authentication. Support for EPO smart cards will end on 31 December 2024, after which our online services will only be accessible via two-factor authentication. Switch to two-factor authentication today. For more information, please refer to these frequently asked questions, which also include details about using smart cards for national office filing.

Release notes

EPO smart card holders: set up two-factor authentication

Go to the EPO sign-in page.

Select Sign in using smart card. After entering your email address, you’ll be asked to set a password. Then you must set up one or more second-factor authentication methods.

During this process, you'll be asked to accept our terms and conditions. You'll also be able to consult our data protection and privacy policy.

Once you've set up two-factor authentication, you can sign in using two-factor authentication or your EPO smart card (which you can use, unless it has expired, until the end of 2024).

For more information please see:
Watch a video clip about access via two-factor authentication for existing users
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide: your EPO account and two-factor authentication
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide - managing user access in MyEPO Portfolio

Creating an EPO account
 
Warning

Please do not use this option if you are a smart card holder and wish to set up two-factor authentication.  Instead, follow the instructions for smart card holders.

Go to the Create an EPO account page.

Enter your first name, last name and email address, and select Create account. You’ll get an email from us inviting you to set a password for your new account. Selecting the button in the email will open a window where you can set that password. Then set up one or more additional authentication “factors” or methods.

After that, complete your setup in MyEPO Portfolio by identifying the company you want to associate with your EPO account. Then ask your company administrator to grant you Mailbox access and file permissions in both MyEPO Portfolio and Online Filing 2.0, as necessary. To pay fees, manage your EPO deposit account and manage the automatic debiting procedure, first contact us at epo.org/support to ensure that your deposit account and EPO account are linked. Then ask your company administrator to grant you the appropriate fee-related rights.  

You’ll need to use two-factor authentication to access our secure services and to change your EPO account settings. 

During the setup process, you'll be asked to accept our terms and conditions. You'll also be able to consult our data protection and privacy policy.

For more information please see:
Watch a video clip about access via two-factor authentication for new users
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide: your EPO account and two-factor authentication
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide - managing user access in MyEPO Portfolio

Managing EPO account settings such as authentication methods

You can change your EPO account settings such as first name, last name, preferred language, email address and second-factor authentication methods.   

To do this, sign in to the Account settings page. After selecting Unlock settings, and entering a one-time authentication code, you will be able to change your account settings.  

Key points to consider:

  • Ensure continuous access to the email associated with your EPO account, especially if it's used for two-factor authentication
  • If you change companies, do not forget to update the email associated with your EPO account
  • Consider having at least two backup methods for two-factor authentication to mitigate the risk of losing access to your old email account

For more information please see:
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide: your EPO account and two-factor authentication
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide - managing user access in MyEPO Portfolio

FAQ

FAQ - EPO account
FAQ - Managing user access in MyEPO Portfolio
FAQ - Phasing out the use of smart cards in 2024

Getting started

MyEPO feature guides

MyEPO Portfolio feature guide: your EPO account and two-factor authentication
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide - managing user access in MyEPO Portfolio

MyEPO recordings

How to access the EPO’s online services using two-factor authentication (2FA) 

Watch the recording of the Online Seminar of 15 May 2024
Watch a video clip about access via two-factor authentication for new users
Watch a video clip about access via two-factor authentication for existing users

Best practice on managing user access in your portfolio of online services

Watch the recording of the EPO User Day of 26 October 2023

Legacy smart cards
 
EPO smart card login support ends 2024

To access MyEPO Portfolio, Online Filing 2.0, Online Filing (eOLF) and Central Fee Payment, you will need to sign in via your EPO account using two-factor authentication. You can also sign in via your EPO account using an EPO smart card but support for this option will cease at the end of 2024. We have stopped accepting requests for new smart cards, including renewal of expired smart cards and replacements. Switch today to two-factor authentication. For more information, please read these frequently asked questions, which also include information about smart cards for national office filing.

How does the smart card work

The European Patent Organisation provides authorised users of its Online Services with smart cards for use with digital signatures.

Smart cards are highly secure devices that encrypt signatures. To add your digital signature, all you have to do is insert your smart card into the reader and type your PIN when prompted (you will need to have installed the smart card software first before you can do this).

Online Services smart cards are created by a certification agency. They contain:

  • the user's private key
  • the user's public key
  • a certificate confirming that this public key has been allocated to the user

Inserting your smart card

Before you insert your card, make sure that your smart card reader is switched on and working properly. The light on the side of the reader should be blinking.

Once you have inserted your card, the light will stop blinking.

Smart card renewal/replacement

As previously announced, we no longer issue new smart cards.  This means we also no longer accept requests to renew expiring smart cards or replace lost cards. 

Start using two-factor authentication as soon as possible by following the instructions in the previous section. 

An exception will be made for users already filing with national offices that do not offer an alternative to the EPO smart card: in such cases, we will continue to accept requests to renew smart cards or to replace them until 18.00 hrs CEST on Monday, 30 September 2024.  

If you need to renew or replace your smart card for filing with national offices, please write us at epo.org/support, indicating the national office(s) at which you are filing.

For more information please see:
MyEPO Portfolio feature guide: your EPO account and two-factor authentication OJ EPO 2023, A97 – Notice from the European Patent Office dated 24 November 2023 concerning the discontinuation of issuing EPO smart cards

Software installation and smart card activation

Before using your smart card, you need to install cryptovision software on your PC so that the smart card can be activated.

For security reasons, the PIN is sent separately by post a few days after your smart card. You will then need to activate your smart card for use at the EPO. If you want to file with a national patent office, your smart card will also need to be activated on that office's website.

Once you have received your new smart card and PIN, and only after you have installed the latest cryptovision software (see below for details), you can activate your smart card:

  • for the EPO at epo.org/activate-smart-card
  • for a national office: by going to the website of that office and following the relevant instructions.

Use your smart card to access the following EPO services:

  • Online Filing (OLF)
  • Online Filing 2.0
  • MyEPO Portfolio
  • Central Fee Payment (CFP)
  • Mailbox / My Files

If you have not yet installed cryptovision on your PC, please install it first in order to activate the smart card. See below for more details on this software.

cryptovision software

The download can be accessed with the username and password indicated in the PIN letter for your smart card. Alternatively, contact us at epo.org/support

cryptovision (64 Bit)

cryptovision (64 Bit) runs on Microsoft Windows 8.x (64 Bit), Windows 10.x (64 Bit) and Windows Server 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016 and 2019 only. 

Software

Size

Date

Download

Msi version 8.1.0.718 (zip file)

45 MB

26.4.2023

Download

Download set-up procedure for users of Mozilla Firefox 

Download Installation instructions (ZIP, 6 MB).

cryptovision (32 Bit)

cryptovision (32 Bit) runs on Windows 8 or 10 (32 Bit) only. 

Software

Size

Date

Download

Msi version 8.1.0.718  (zip file)

35 MB

26.4.2023

Download

cryptovision (Macintosh version)

Please uninstall any previous version before installing this version.

Software

Size

Date

Download

cryptovision sc/interface 8.1.0.718 Cryptographic software (zip file)

112 MB

26.4.2023

Download

cryptovison (Linux/Ubuntu)

Software

Size

Date

Download

cryptovision sc/interface 8.1.0.718 Cryptographic software (zip file)

327 MB

26.4.2023

Download

Activating your smart card

  1. Once you have installed cryptovision, go to epo.org/activate-smart-card.
  2. Insert your card in the smart card reader.
  3. Check that the green light on the reader is on and steady (i.e. not blinking).
  4. Select Continue.
  5. Select OK when you are prompted to confirm the relevant certificate.
  6. When prompted, enter the PIN supplied in the PIN letter.

If you are using Online Filing 2.0, please note that it will take 24 hours for your card to be activated.

Departure of a smart card holder

Did you know that whenever any of your employees owning a smart card leaves your company a few actions need to be taken?

When a user with a smart card leaves your company/organisation, you must do the following:

  1. Inform EPO Customer Services either using the contact form, by phone or via epo.org/support. Customer Services will then ensure that the user's smart card is no longer linked to your company.
  2. Meanwhile your company administrator must remove the rights to all online services via the Administration page on EPO website so that the relevant smart card can no longer be used to make payments, for instance, from your company's deposit account. More information on how to do this can be found in our FAQs.
  3. Attention: these actions must be performed even if you have already sent a request for withdrawal of representation in respect of the relevant user (via MyFiles).
  4. If the user is registered for the Online Filing 2.0 service, your company administrator should remove his or her user account via Managing access rights, as explained in the User guide (section 17).

FAQ

FAQ on Phasing out the use of smart cards in 2024

FAQ on smart cards

Legal Documents

Certificate Policy

Certification Practice Statement

Terms and conditions for EPO smart cards and smart card readers

Data Protection Statement on the processing of personal data in the context of EPO smart cards