How to Enable Single Sign-On (SSO) by connecting to your IdP on Jira

[BITS_BASICS]

I need step by step procedure on How to Enable Single Sign-On (SSO) by connecting to your IdP on Jira while using the Jira free version.

[Akash Singh]

@BITS_BASICS Welcome to Atlassian Community!

Unfortunately, SSO integration is not available with Jira's Free, Standard, or Premium subscriptions alone. To enable SSO with your identity provider (IdP), your organization must also have an Atlassian Guard subscription, either Standard or Premium plan. An exception applies if your organization uses Google Workspace, which can be connected without an Atlassian Guard plan. However, do note that integrating Google Workspace syncs all users and sub-domains, without the option to selectively include specific domains or users.

For organizations on the Jira Enterprise plan, Atlassian Guard Standard is included by default, so you don’t need to purchase it separately.

Also, keep in mind that Organization Admin access is required to configure authentication policies and integrate your IdP.

Once you have the prerequisites in place, follow these steps:

1. Verify your company domain
   This is necessary to start managing user accounts under your domain. The recommended verification methods are HTTPS or DNS TXT records. If you’re using Google Workspace or Azure AD with an active Guard subscription, you can use their native verification — otherwise, it's best to avoid them as you can’t control which users or domains are synced.
   📖 Guide to verifying a domain

2. Claim accounts from your verified domain
   You can choose to either claim all accounts automatically or select accounts manually from the verified domain.
   📖 Learn how to claim accounts

3. Configure your identity provider (IdP)
   Add a new IdP to your Atlassian organization. Atlassian supports popular providers, but you can also configure a custom SAML IdP.
   📖 Configure SAML SSO with your IdP

4. Create and assign an authentication policy
   Once your IdP is set up, create an authentication policy to enforce SSO for specific users or groups. Link the policy to the IdP directory you configured.
   📖 Understand and set up authentication policies