Smart Card Utility FAQ
Here are some commonly asked questions about Smart Card Utility.
Does Smart Card Utility work with O365?
Yes! Teams may require some special configuration, but you can authenticate to all the O365 apps.
Why does the Bluetooth Reader turn off sometimes?
The Bluetooth reader will turn off when not connected for more than 3 minutes to conserve battery. If this happens, tap the power button on the reader and refresh the webpage, and the authentication process will proceed.
Why can I only use Smart Card Utility Reader with Safari? Why can’t I use another browser?
Smart Card Utility Utility uses an extension to iOS that makes the certificates on your smart card available to all apps to do an authentication. However, only Safari currently enables this feature. We have escalated the issue with the folks that develop Chrome for iOS and hope they will support it in the future.
I get an SSL error when trying to authenticate to a website. How do I fix this?
See Smart Card Utility: Troubleshooting Website Issues for more information.
I cannot access Microsoft Teams. How do I get it to work?
Some organizations only allow access to the web version of teams and iOS tries to redirect to the app. To resolve this, see the Accessing Microsoft Teams on iPhone and iPad With Smart Card Utility for DoD Customers article for how to access Teams.
How long does the battery last with the Wireless Mobile/Bluetooth reader?
The battery lasts for about 15 days with regular usage. It takes about an hour to charge up to full capacity.
Can I use the USB-C, Lightning, Wireless Mobile or Bluetooth reader with my Mac or PC?
Yes! The Lightning Reader utilizes the Micro-USB port on the reader’s side when connecting to your Mac or PC. You can use the USB-C or USB-C connector on the Bluetooth reader to connect to your Mac or PC, and the Bluetooth connection can be used on just the Mac. The Wireless Mobile reader can only be connected to the Mac via Bluetooth
Does the Smart Card Utility App work with other readers?
If you have a third-party reader, you can purchase an in-app subscription to access the Smart Card Utility features.
What do the lights on the bottom of the Bluetooth or top of the Wireless Mobile reader indicate?
The Wireless Mobile and Bluetooth readers use LEDs to indicate the status of the reader. For more information, see Wireless Mobile Light Indicator and Bluetooth Reader Light Indicators.
Is there a full user guide?
See the Smart Card Utility for iOS & iPadOS User Guide.
Can I use the Smart Card Utility to sign PDFs?
We do not currently support signing PDFs, but were are working with other PDF app vendors to support our readers. Stay tuned.
Can I use the Twocanoes Smart Card Readers on Android?
We do not currently support Android, but we are investigating support.
Does the reader work with Citrix?
Twocanoes’s USB-C or Lightning readers can access Citrix workspaces. Citrix does not provide support for any other readers. For more information, please see Using Smart Card Authentication with Citrix Workspace on iPhone and iPad.
Can I use the Smart Card Utility for S/MIME encrypted email?
If email is accessed via a web interface, there is no support for S/MIME or encrypted emails. We are investigating possible solutions.
When I switch between the Smart Card Utility App and another app, the Bluetooth reader turns off. Why is that?
Only one app can use the reader at a time. After connecting to the Bluetooth reader in the Smart Card Utility app, the app will completely disconnect from reader when exiting the app. This causes the reader to turn off. Simply tap the button on the bottom of the reader to turn it back on. Once Safari connects to the reader via our extension, it will remain connected until the reader turns off.
How do I get support? I want to talk to someone!
We want to talk to you and make sure you have the best experience with the app. Please send an email to support@twocanoes.com. You can also schedule a meeting.
The reader is prompting me to select a certificate, and I cannot tell them apart. How do I prevent this?
It is recommended to only insert a single certificate so Safari has only a single choice and won’t prompt to select a certificate. Go into Smart Card Utility and remove all configurations, then select Reader Certificates and only insert slot 9a (PIV authentication)
Do I need to install the DoD certificate profile every time I insert a certificate?
The DoD certificate profile only needs to be updated on January 1st of each year.
If I insert my CAC certificates with Smart Card Utility into iOS, do I still need to have my card with me to authenticate?
Yes. The CAC is what actually does the authentication, not the certificate. The certificate helps to identify who is authenticating, but the actual authentication is performed by the CAC. A private key on the CAC is used to authenticate and cannot be copied from the card. For more information please see the Article on this topic.