This article explains what OpenID is, how to sign up for it and how to do so securely.

OpenID enables you to use your Yahoo! account to sign in to hundreds of websites.

To enable your Yahoo! account for OpenID:

1. Sign into your account from any Yahoo! sign-in page.
2. Click the down arrow next to your name and select Account Info. Note: Yahoo! may ask you for your password again before displaying this page. If so, enter your password, and click Sign In. You will then be directed to the Account Info page.
3. Under "Sign-In and Security", click Manage/Create your OpenID. Yahoo! generates an OpenID identifier for you. You don’t have to do anything with it. Each time you go to a website that uses OpenID, Yahoo! automatically sends this identifier to the website to identify you.
4. To make your login even more secure, click Create a Sign-In Seal, and follow the instructions to create one.
5. Optionally, below “Feeling geeky?” click Show Customization Options to display your options for creating or selecting a different OpenID identifier.
6. Click the checkbox next to the OpenID identifier you want Yahoo! to use on OpenID websites.  Yahoo! recommends that you not use the identifier with your user name because it can expose your email address and instant messaging address on OpenID websites. Select the third option if you want to create your own identifier, and then type a unique identifier in the empty box. Only letters, numbers, underscores, and one dot (.) are allowed.
7. Click Save My Customization. A confirmation prompt appears.
8. Click Yes. Your OpenID identifiers appear highlighted in yellow.
9. Click Yahoo! at the top of the screen to return to your Yahoo! Homepage.

When you are on a website that supports OpenID, click the  Yahoo! login button, and click it. Alternatively, if you see a text box with an OpenID icon, type "yahoo.com" in the text box. Either way you’ll be sent to Yahoo! to verify your Yahoo! ID and password. After you’ve been verified, you are signed in to the website.

Note: When using OpenID, you should not enter your Yahoo! ID and password on any website other than Yahoo!. OpenID sites send you back to Yahoo! to verify your Yahoo! ID and password before signing you into their sites.

If you would like more information on Using the Sign-in Seal, or if the sign-in seal image is not appearing, please see this article.

For more information on Yahoo!'s OpenID service, click here.