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Here are some possible problems you may encounter while changing your password or establishing your account in the IAM portal (powered by Bravura).

I updated my Windows password but Can't Sign in to Other University Accounts.

If your university managed Windows computer notifies you that your password has expired and prompts you to change it, the new password you create will only apply to your local computer—not your university accounts.

If you have changed you password with the windows prompt you will also need to update your university password here: iam.appstate.edu.

  • Always change your university password on this site to ensure it applies to all university systems.
  • First, attempt to sign in using your old password.
  • If that doesn’t work, try your new password.
  • If neither works, contact the Help Desk for assistance.

If you get in successfully, you will need to perform your first time sign in actions (document approval, security questions, and Duo registration). When you get to the password change form, use a new, unique password to ensure there isn't further confusion.

Finally, you need to sync your computer to your university update. Follow the instructions under the Can't sign in to my computer after changing my password in IAM to synchronize your device to the university password.

I was not given the choice of signing in with security questions or I am being asked to update my security questions.

The questions "First car year" or "Favorite number" forced answers under the five character minimum. The resultant confusion led to their removal. If your chose those questions on initial setup, it would put you under the four question requirement. Choose a new pre-determined question to replace it and you will be able to use them as an alternate sign in again.

How do I get to the password change form after signing in?

The first time anyone signs in to iam.appstate.edu, they are required to initialize their account. That includes:

  • Confirm you agree with the Statement of Confidentiality and the Acceptable Use Policy.
  • Fill out the answers to four pre-defined questions and two self-defined questions.
  • Ensure your Duo registration is complete.
  • Follow the password prompt to change your password for the first time.

If you have previously signed in the IAM site, you can change your password by clicking on the Change passwords link under the MY PROFILE section.

If you need further help, please contact Support at 828-262-6266.

First time in the system and I only get the password prompt.

This occurs because you previously signed in to Appalachian State. If you ever held a temporary position or applied to Appalachian State before 2025, your account may have been sitting unused until your return. Since this account isn't flagged as "new", IAM doesn't take you through the first time user process nor does it permit self-help alternate authentication. You will need to contact the Help Desk at 828-262-6266, verify your identity, and receive a One Time Passcode (OTP).

I'm getting account locked errors when I try to run WebFocus reports after changing my password.

If you were signed in to WebFocus prior to your password change, your browser may be caching your last sign in session. To correct this problem either:

  1. Sign in to WebFocus using a Chrome incognito | Firefox private | Edge InPrivate tab.
  2. Completely close your current browser and ALL tabs then restart it.

Performing either of these steps should give you a fresh session and access to WebFocus with your new password.

I used the password Email confirmation option but I didn't get the email. Did it send it to my App State account that I can't access?

Yes it did. Long standing App State employees sometimes have their App State email address as their personal email address. Fortunately, you can prevent it in the future by going to your Banner Self Service page and updating your Account Recover Email address. Granted, this won't help you if you can't get into your account so call the Help Desk at 828-262-6266 for an alternate authentication method. After you change your password, head over and change that Account Recover Email address!

Can't sign in to my computer after changing my password in IAM

This issue is not caused by the IAM system, it’s related to Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Active Directory not syncing properly, especially when working remotely. To regain access to your computer, refer to the guide "Cannot log into Computer after password change".

If you want to prevent this from happening on future changes, you can replicate the sign-in process above like so:

After updating your password at iam.appstate.edu, you may still need to synchronize your computer. This is especially important if:

  1. you work off campus; or
  2. you work on campus but rely on a WIFI connection for your internet.

Best Practices

To prevent any issues syncing your password change on your university-issued device:

  1. Change your password while on campus and connected to eduroam or the App State network.
  2. Use your computer browser rather than a mobile device.
  3. Once your password has been changed, log off and then on again.

Have you updated your Account Recovery Email?

Since we have your attention, check out the new Banner Self-Service page that allows you to change your Account Recovery Email. Should you forget your password, it will help you reset it without needing to access your App State email account.

For Windows

  1. If you are not currently connected via the Virtual Private Network (VPN) software–Cisco Secure Client, start it now.
    1. If you are connected and want to ensure your password works properly, disconnect your VPN session, reconnect, and enter your new password.
  2. Once you have verified your VPN connection, lock your computer using Ctrl-Alt-Del > Lock or hold down the Windows key and type L (for lock).
  3. Sign back in to your computer using your new password.
  4. The VPN connection will now query the university to check the password and successfully update your computer.

For Mac

  1. You will need to synchronize to Jamf. Click on the Jamf Connect icon in the menu bar and click Connect.
  2. If you receive a warning about your invalid credentials, you can ignore it. Click OK.
  3. At the Jamf Connect Sync window, sign in with your App State email address and use the new password.
  4. Jamf Connect will notify you that your passwords are out of sync. Enter the old password you used before changing it.
  5. Select Sync, and your Mac's password should be updated.

For more detailed information, visit How Jamf Connect Syncs Your Mac Password After a Password Change.

Refresh your browser session as well

Some systems, like WebFocus, may hold on to your last password in their cache and it may cause operational errors. If this occurs, you should completely close your browser and reload it.



I have recently returned to the university. I can sign in to the campus but I can't get into Banner Self Service.

If you have returned to the university after an absence, sometimes your sign-in account has an ID mismatch in LDAP (pronounced 'ell dap'). This can only be fixed by calling the Help Desk, 828-262-6266.

The IAM Portal let me change me password to the one I am currently using. When I try to log in elsewhere, it doesn't work.

The IAM Portal doesn't allow you to use a password more than once but it has to know what passwords you previously used. Since the IAM portal is new, your previous password list is blank. Any previous passwords you enter now will get you through the checks. That said, the systems you connect to with that password may have issues its reuse. In this case, when your current password is sent to other systems, they instantly deny the reuse.

Resetting your password with something truly unique will fix the problem.

I need to change my generic (nonhuman) account password, but I can't sign in to IAM.

You need to sign in to your personal account to change your generic/nonhuman account password. Go to our Update Nonhuman/Generic Account Passwords page for more information.

Trying to update my generic (nonhuman) account and I'm prompted to change my personal password

The IAM portal tracks first-time password changes internally. It is not aware of your activity before it was established. This process helps ensure that new students and employees have completed their initial account setup. When you try to change your generic account password, the system will check that your personal account has been updated as well.

You will need to change your personal password once before updating your generic account(s). Your personal password should not need to be changed until its next expiration, one year later. Future updates to generic (nonhuman) accounts should no longer prompt you to change your personal password.

Your password has expired or is about to expire and you can't remember what it is

If you sign in with your username and are only offered a password link, it likely means the following:

  • your account is flagged as having previously signed in a university platform outside of the IAM site;
  • you haven't signed in to iam.appstate.edu and entered your security questions; and/or
  • you haven't registered a device (phone) to Duo.

If your account has expired, no previous password will work. In either case, you will need to contact the Help Desk at 828-262-6266. They will supply you with a One-Time Password (OTP) to give you access. Once in, you can register your account and change your password.

You completed all registration steps, but you can't continue

Rarely a problem occurs in the IAM platform that won't let you click the password update link. After entering your security questions and registering your Duo account, you will be prompted to continue, but the link won't do anything. This is admittedly very frustrating. Usually, clicking the home icon  will allow you to click the password change link successfully. If this doesn't work, you will need to return to the site with a fresh session. This means you need to return to the site AFTER:

  • completely closing your browser,
  • opening an incognito/private window, or
  • opening a different browser.

Do one of the above steps, return to iam.appstate.edu, and when it prompts you to change your password, the link should work. Contact the Help Desk if you continue to encounter problems.

Administrative conflict

IAM's administrative rights to update your account may duplicate the rights you have as that system's administrator. Should that happen, the account update may be prohibited.

Currently, we only have one instance of this problem. If you have a Google administrator account, your password change on that system will fail. Fortunately, Google authentication is handled by our single sign-on system, so this is not an issue. As more systems interact with the IAM system, this may change.

Something else

Password updates in the IAM portal are a recent implementation, so we are still learning. We will update this page as our interactions with other systems grow.

Should you experience problems, contact the Help Desk at 828-262-6266. If you have technical information concerning system interactions, you can also email the IAM team at identitymanagement@appstate.edu.

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