Update: Google based login has been disabled. A number of users reported getting locked out of WorkFlowy after switching to it. If you were using Google for login, you have been switched to our email code based login, where a code will be sent to your email when you need to log in. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes.
Starting today, you can now update your WorkFlowy account to log in via Google instead of a WorkFlowy-specific password. This feature is available to anyone with a Gmail address, or an email address that is backed by G Suite (such as help@workflowy.com)
To switch to Google Login, click the ‘gear’ icon in the upper right corner and choose ‘Settings’. If your email address is eligible, under the password field you will see a blue ‘Switch to Google Login’ button.
You will be taken through the Google login flow and asked to approve our app’s access (we only ask for basic access to your profile so we can verify your name and email address). At that point your WorkFlowy account will be linked to your email address through Google and your password will be deleted from our servers. You will no longer be able to use that password to log in. Please note that you will need to log in to WorkFlowy again on all your devices.
If you haven’t already enabled Two-Factor Authentication on your Google account we strongly encourage you to do so as it will extend this protection to your WorkFlowy account as well. For the seriously paranoid, consider registering for Google’s Advanced Protection Protection which in my opinion is the most secure account system generally available to the public.
Google Login is part of a larger strategy here at WorkFlowy to move away from using passwords for authentication. This has been a trend in the Software industry for the past year or two and analysts expect that it will continue to increase.
In fact, for the past couple weeks no new WorkFlowy accounts have been created with passwords. Eligible users have been signed up directly using Google Login and the rest now use an email-based token authentication system.
PS – If the ‘Switch to Google Login’ button isn’t showing in one of our apps, try logging in to your account from a browser. If that doesn’t help, feel free to write to us at help@workflowy.com for assistance.
A month since last Workflowy update is released. Eagerly waiting for the next release, hopefully it has some new exciting features.
please fix it ASAP
Hear, hear!
We can accept the slow pace in development, we can accept long requested features being promised for over a year and not being implemented yet, not even one single Roadmap, we can accept the prioritization going to “not so important or not so requested” things, I can accept the, what they called, “Large Project Optimization” that once was a Beta feature that also had a Toogle button, then becoming implemented in the Production environment causing a mess in my lists (I cannot multiselect a lot of items and then scroll down and up as I always lose the original selection). I can also accept the lack of the Full Width toggle, one of the easiest things that could be implemented. We can accept all this.
But the lack of decent communication, the disrespect to the loyal customers… it’s innaceptable. No one single reply from them so far about this Post. It’s just like they released the bomb and we are just forced to accept it. You may lose your customers to the competition, unfortunately. Be aware of that! Feel free to delete this message, if you want.
I’ve been with Workflowy for over ten years and your customers have a right to know. Are you entering into a partnership with Google or sharing any data with Google?
Also the iOS app no longer lets me log in normally, no doubt related to this change. Please fix!
Is there please a way to switch back to classic password login? I cannot fint it anywhere.
I was amazed and am now appalled that WorkFlowy is joining with Google. I would never have thought that this app, excellent and appealing in its simplicity, would join with Google, this monstrous, over-reaching usurper of my privacy.
The day Workflowy requires me to log in with Google will be the day I cancel my subscription, as much as that would pain me.
Any news about dates or reminders?
Log in with Google? That’s a seriously bad idea! One of the things I like about Workflowy is that it is NOT Google or facebook or one of the other big sell-all-your-data companies.
I’m also not happy that my choices for leaving a comment are to log in to WordPress, Twitter, or facebook.
I agree with the others, this is a disappointing development. Google is the 800lb Gorilla we’ve all given too much power to. I know they listen to conversations via my phone and google device because ads and newsfeeds flow in almost immediately, within minutes sometimes. Can anyone say, “creepy big brother”? Too bad everyone in tech land keeps giving them more power and “us” less choice. I love Workflowy and have recommended it to clients for years. I will no longer recommend and do some serious soul searching regarding, do I really need this?
How does this work offline, no internet, no Google available?
This isn’t a good move — Just because of a ‘trend’ — what about privacy and security. I hope you haven’t made a ‘deal’ with Google? With this kind of access could they start data mining our lists? I’m looking into alternatives unless you can assure us our data is safe.
I definitely understand your concern.
I do not work at Workflowy, that said, as a developer, I’ve used the Google Authentication API and can assure you there is no way for them to access the workflowy data ; the only thing Google does is checking a cookie and their server to certify that 1) you are who you claim you are and 2) you are logged in to your google account.
The risk could actually be the other way round ; depending on the level of permission asked when you use the Google API, a company could try to access your google data. Here Workflowy only asks to see your user name and email address, you can check that easily on the confirmation screen. So they can’t see any of your google data.
A supporter of Workflowy for several years (two paid subscriptions for my wife and me) I am seriously unhappy about Workflowy moving into a world where I have to divulge to Google yet another software I use. Please be aware that Google earns money by tracking the kind of software we use, and that Google may, at a whim (or rather the US administration’s whim which it religiously follows) exclude users outside the US or users my makers of hardware the US administration disapproves of exclude Workflowy users. Can you reassure your subsbcribers that Workflowy will continue to operate outside the Google universe – or do you intend to sell the company to them anyway?
So, basically we can just assume this is the WorkFlowy way to handle 2-Factor Authentication, right? So we could consider 2FA or MFA implemented, through the Google service / “security”?
I don’t like Google either, but anyway, this is better than just using the username and password.
Love this feature! My life is in workflowy and thus enhanced log-in security is awsome!
Btw; when are reminders coming for outlines marked as actions?
This is terrible. I don’t trust Google and I won’t use this ever.
Thank you team! It took 5 seconds to switch over on desktop browser and 5 seconds after opening my app on mobile. No more entering passwords 🙂
No person should support Google and their hypocritical business practices. Why do we continue to support companies that disregard our core values? If Google was a person, you would have kicked them to the curb a long time ago. Think about it.
(If you are unaware of what I am referring to, just search “why google is evil” – on Google heh).
With that being said, thanks for the feature update. Cheers!