A TV screen with a set-top box in the background which are steered by two TV remotes and a smartphone lying on a table; a login to a content service is performed by the user.

Keyboardless Device Login & Authentication

Standard Authentication Process for Devices without a Keyboard

TVs, set-top boxes, and gaming consoles were originally developed to provide consumers with a pre-defined set of services. A TV for example was built to show linear TV program via TV cable or satellite. The evolution of the Internet has changed this quite a bit. Formally stupid devices were connected to the Internet and offered immediately smart new opportunities. The most important innovation was the establishment of on-demand and customizable (streaming) services. In order to be able to offer these new customizable services, users must register and log in to use the services.

As the devices were originally not designed with keyboards for entering login credentials, device manufacturers and streaming providers have been looking for other ways to achieve this. Consequently, most players use the existing TV remote and a virtual keyboard on the screen to perform the required registration, sign-ins and logins. It is not surprising that this method is not user-friendly and even often frustrates the user.

Missing User Friendlyness

Examples for Authentication Processes without Existence of a Keyboard


In our fast-paced world, every year new entertainment devices pop-up in the market. They usually have in common that, on the one hand, they need access to the Internet by default. On the other hand, they are not equipped with a keyboard. The reason for this is, that interaction and use of devices was designed without the need for a keyboard. However, a keyboard can be helpful when connecting to the Internet, when setting-up devices or when signing in to streaming services, online services or similar. Below you find some examples of devices without keyboard for which a simple on-boarding process would be beneficial.

    Setting-up Streaming Services

    To be able to use a streaming service, the user normally has to sign up to the respective service, to buy a subscription, and afterwards to always sign-in to use the content. The services are device-independent and can be used interoperability with smartphone, notebook, smart-TV, set-top box.
    Collection of popular streaming services buttons on a wall so that user can click for login.

    Using Internet-enabled Services over a Smart TV or Set-top Box

    A set-top box connected to the Internet via cable infrastructure, WLAN or landline transforms a basic TV set into a smart entertainment hub. The connected box allows the user to consume additional content, he otherwise could not enjoy.
    Using Internet enabled services using the provided TV set-top box, TV as well as TV remote.

    Enjoying Regular Updated Content on Video Gaming Consoles

    When video gaming consoles were introduced to the market, they worked offline. Games were manually exchanged on jumper cards, hard discs, cartridges, and drives. This has changed quite dramatically through the continuous improvement of Internet availability and bandwidth. Nowadays, updates to latest versions or interaction with other players over the Internet as well as streaming service have become more and more standard in this field. To connect to the servers, users have to sign up and log in.
    User has logged in with a joystick to a video game console to play a football game which is shown on the screen.

    Engity's User-Friendly Keyboardless Device Login


    Easy Registering & Login Without the Need of a Keyboard?

    No keyboard available? Need to register, sign-up or log in? Never mind! We have the right authentication method for this purpose. E-mail us to learn more about how modern streaming services can offer a state-of-the-art login process.
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