# Sign in without a browser

Sign in to MiniCut on a computer with no browser, such as over SSH, by confirming a code on your phone or another computer.

`minicut login` opens minicut.ai in a browser on the same computer, and the browser sends you back to that computer when you are done. That needs a browser there. In an SSH session, or on Linux with no display, `minicut login` switches to a code sign-in by itself. On any other computer, add `--device` to ask for it.

## Sign in with a code

1. Run the sign-in command on the computer that has no browser.

```bash Terminal
minicut login --device
```

2. Read the address and the code it prints. The lines are `Open this address in your browser:`, the address, and `Code:` with the code.
3. On any computer or phone, open that address. Sign in to minicut.ai, or make an account, and confirm the code. A code lasts 15 minutes.
4. Finish the sign-in. If you typed step 1 in your own terminal, it waits for you and finishes by itself, so skip this step. If your agent ran step 1, the command returned at once and printed `When you have confirmed it, run:` with the line to run. Run that line on the computer where you ran step 1.

```bash Terminal
minicut login --complete
```

The code is kept on the computer that asked for it, so `--complete` must run there, not on the phone or computer where you confirmed.

## Wait for the confirmation

`minicut login --complete` checks for up to 7 seconds, once every 5 seconds. If you have not confirmed the code yet, it prints `Waiting for you to confirm on minicut.ai.` and the line to run again, and exits with code 0. Confirm the code, then run it again.

When the code is confirmed, it prints `Signed in.` and your account. The key is saved as described on [Account](/docs/cli/account).

## Check the sign-in

Run `minicut status`. A signed-in computer shows `Signed in as` and your account.

```bash Terminal
minicut status
```

## Errors

| Message | Exit code | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| `Sign-in was cancelled on minicut.ai.` | 10 | Run `minicut login --device` again and confirm the code |
| `This sign-in code expired. Run minicut login again.` | 10 | Run `minicut login --device` for a new code. This also appears when no code is waiting on this computer |
| `Could not reach minicut.ai.` | 7 | Connect to the internet and run the same command again. Behind a proxy, see [Use MiniCut in China mainland](/docs/cli/use-minicut-in-china-mainland) |

More messages and fixes are on [Troubleshooting](/docs/cli/troubleshooting).

## Next

[Account](/docs/cli/account) [Troubleshooting](/docs/cli/troubleshooting)