---
title: COS Explorer first-time access
slug: ops-and-admin/cos-explorer/first-time-access
description: Simplify your onboarding to COS Explorer with our guide on setting up admin access, account verification, and managing roles for effective task management.
docTags: 
createdAt: 2024-08-13T05:59:37.986Z
---

## Initial user access registration procedure

Every first-time user of COS Explorer, including organizational admins, must register with the Cross River identity server system.

### Before you begin

Verify that you received a welcome email from *CrossRiver\_DO\_NOT\_REPLY\@crossriver.com* with a link to create your Cross River account in COS Explorer.

:::hint{type="info"}
If you don't see the welcome email in your inbox, check your spam or blocked mail folders.
:::

### Prepare multifactor authentication (MFA)

To protect your identity, your account and information, you must sign in with multifactor authentication. Set up your authenticator app to complete the registration process and to be able to login in the future.

:::hint{type="info"}
If you don't already have an authenticator app on your device, you need to install one.

For both Android and iOS, we recommend using one of these apps:

- Google Authenticator
- Microsoft Authenticator
:::

### Initiate registration

When you click the **Create your Cross River Account** link in the welcome email, the login wizard opens in a browser. 

If you leave the wizard at any time, click the link in the email to go back to where you left off.

- Navigate through the wizard, following the instructions there.
- In Step 2 of 5, note that if you are using a US-domestic phone number for SMS messages you need to confirm your phone number and give consent to receive an SMS message.
- In Step 4 of 5, if you prefer to manually enter a key instead of using the displayed QR code:
  1. Click **Show key** under the QR code. An alphanumeric string appears below the code. This is the key.
  2. In your authenticator app, enter the key as the *Secret *for this connection.
  3. Be sure the connection has a meaningful name. If you plan on using more than one environment, check that the name mentions the environment of that connection. For example, *Cross River Sandbox*.
  4. Open the connection to generate a 6-digit code to enter in the wizard.
- Note that Step 5 of 5, Recovery codes, times out after 10 minutes.
  You can only download the recovery codes once.

Now that you can access COS Explorer and depending on your [role](docId\:HchTD9gV45yckWkjLatDx) in the system, you can:

- Create users
- Create customers
- Send payments
- View and manage users, customer, and payments

## Access COS Explorer

Access COS Explorer from these links:

- Sandbox: [https://sandbox.crbcos.com/explorer2/](https://sandbox.crbcos.com/explorer2/)
- Production: [https://api.crbcos.com/explorer2/](https://api.crbcos.com/explorer2/)

## Learn more

See our [troubleshooting page](docId\:BoVOPz7Pdg2zUCg19UaMc) if you have issues logging in.

See our [tutorials](docId:0P2HLQo9f6k6Fz52NuHYv) for how-tos in both COS Explorer and via API.