Creating an account on KoboToolbox

Last updated: 14 Apr 2022

The first step for all users when getting started with KoboToolbox is to create an account. This article will guide you through the steps on creating and accessing your account on one of KoboToolbox servers.

How to access KoboToolbox

There are two main ways of accessing KoboToolbox:

  1. Public servers: For most users, it is recommended to use either of our publicly available KoboToolbox servers listed on the Get Started page. One server is for humanitarian organizations and the non-humanitarian server is for everyone else. Steps for creating an account are listed below.

  2. Install KoboToolbox on your own server: Advanced users can install KoboToolbox on their own server (or on a local computer or device) using Docker. For more details on how to install your own instance of KoboToolbox, visit our kobo-install repository on GitHub.

Creating an account

  • To create a new account on KoboToolbox, go to the KoboToolbox homepage and click SIGN UP on the menu. This will take you to the GET STARTED section of the website.

  • Here, you are presented with two different servers where you can create your account.

KoboToolbox servers

If you are an individual researcher, aid worker, or a for-profit organization, it is recommended to use the server provided by KoboToolbox (Kobo server).

If you are creating an account for a humanitarian organization, it is recommended that you use the server provided by UN OCHA (OCHA server).

To learn more about the differences between the two servers, read this support article.

  • Click CREATE ACCOUNT on the server of your choice

  • On the Create Your Account page, enter the details on the form and click Create Account.

Make sure to keep your password in a safe place to avoid losing it.
The username must be all lowercase letters, without any spaces or symbols.

KoboToolbox will send you an email with a link to activate your account. If you did not get the activation email, check your spam folder. For more help, you can also read the support article Didn’t Receive Activation Link After Signing Up.

  • Log in to the email address you used when creating your account and click the activation link sent to you. This will automatically log you into KoboToolbox.

Logging back into KoboToolbox

Use one of the following links to log back into your account with your username and password:

Server

URL

OCHA server

kobo.humanitarianresponse.info

Kobo server

kf.kobotoolbox.org

Troubleshooting

  1. Make sure to follow the guidelines listed below to create a valid username:

    • The length of a username can range from 2 to 30 characters.

    • A username could be made up of a combination of lower-case characters, numbers, and underscores. Use of special characters (such as ~, !, @, #, $, %, ^, &, *, ?) are not valid.

    • The username must start with a lower-case character.

  2. You may be required to choose another username (despite following all the points listed above) if the username has already been registered to another user.

  3. Choose a strong password so that your account and sensitive data is less vulnerable to attack or abuse.

  4. Store your username and password in a safe place, such as a password manager, so that you don’t lose access to your account.

  5. Ensure the entered email address is correct otherwise you will not receive the activation link.