---
title: Smart revalidation
description: Re-authenticates users in transactions post registration, allowing the authentication methods to vary by the desired experience and flow criticality.
canonical: https://developer.unico.io/products/step-up-authentication/smart-revalidation/index
locale: en
generated_by: markdown-export
---

- [/](/)
- [Build](/products/)
- [Step-up Authentication](/products/step-up-authentication/)
- Smart revalidation

**On this pageSmart revalidationRe-authenticates users in transactions post registration, allowing the authentication methods to vary by the desired experience and flow criticality.

### What this product solves​

Smart revalidation addresses the challenge of re-authenticating users with the least possible friction, by orchestrating multiple identity verification methods adaptively — choosing the most appropriate method for the risk level of each transaction.
Instead of always requiring a full biometric capture, it combines metadata with existing biometric data (if desired).
The minimum friction level can be set by picking the [useCase](/capabilities/smart-revalidation), based on the criticality level, it is possible to set the minimum friction to be silent authentication or simply just have facial biometry as a challenge. Once picked, Unico will orchestrate the lowest friction technology possible, always guaranteeing the same level of safety of a facial biometry.
**Use this product when:**

Periodic revalidation (e.g., passwordless login, weekly re-check).
Financial transfers
Account management (e.g., password or limit changes)
Service subscriptions
New device registration
Financial operations (investments, loans, cashout), among others.

**Do not use this product when:**

You need access to the full detail of the Liveness response on every transaction — Smart Revalidation only returns the final result across all of its experiences; when it escalates to biometric capture, it does not return the liveness detection result on its own.

### Capabilities involved​

Single adaptive capability:
[Smart Revalidation](/capabilities/smart-revalidation)
CapabilityRequirementRole in the flow**Smart Revalidation**RequiredOrchestrates metadata and biometric data adaptively to verify whether the user matches the reference process.
### Prerequisites​

**Bearer token** — see [Authentication](/developers/start/authentication).
**Sandbox credentials** — see [Environments](/developers/start/environments).
**SDK or Web component installed** — only for Web and SDK integrations. See [SDKs and Tools](/developers/sdks-and-tools/overview).
**Reference biometric** — the user must have previously completed an onboarding or biometric registration process. Pass it via the `references` array in Create Process: each item requires `referenceType` (`REFERENCE_TYPE_PROCESS_ID` or `REFERENCE_TYPE_IMAGE_BASE64`) and `referenceContent` (the process UUID or base64-encoded image).
**`useCase` value** — required when creating the process. See [Smart Revalidation](/capabilities/smart-revalidation) for the full list of valid values and their behavior.

### Step-by-step implementation​

NativeWebIntegration via native SDK — capture runs inside your app using the Unico SDK for Android, iOS or Flutter.

**Install the SDK** — add the Unico SDK dependency for your platform. See the setup guide for [Android](/developers/sdks-and-tools/android/requirements), [iOS](/developers/sdks-and-tools/ios/requirements) or [Flutter](/developers/sdks-and-tools/flutter/requirements).
**Create a process** — call Create Process with the appropriate `flow` value and the user's identifier. The response includes the `webAppToken`.
**Open the journey** — open the SDK with the `webAppToken`. The SDK runs the journey in your app and calls `onSuccess` with the `processId` when the user finishes.
**Query the result** — call Get Process to retrieve the capability results.
**Apply business rules** — evaluate the response fields to approve, deny or escalate.

AndroidNative Android SDK for in-app capture.[View overview](/developers/sdks-and-tools/android/requirements)iOSNative iOS SDK for in-app capture.[View overview](/developers/sdks-and-tools/ios/requirements)FlutterCross-platform Flutter SDK for in-app capture.[View overview](/developers/sdks-and-tools/flutter/requirements)Integration in the browser — Unico hosts the journey, and you open it with the Journeys SDK or by redirecting the user.

**Create a process** — call Create Process with the appropriate `flow` value and the user's identifier. The response includes the process `id`, the `token` and the `userRedirectUrl`.
**Open the journey** — open it inside your page with the [Journeys SDK](/developers/sdks-and-tools/web), passing the process `id` (as `transactionId`) and the `token`. This is the recommended option. If the journey can run outside your page, use Direct access instead: send the user to `userRedirectUrl`, and set `callbackUri` in [Create Process](/developers/api-reference/post-processes) so Unico knows where to send them back.
**User completes the journey** — the Journeys SDK calls `onFinish`. With Direct access, Unico sends the user back to your `callbackUri`.
**Query the result** — call Get Process to retrieve the capability results.
**Apply business rules** — evaluate the response fields to approve, deny or escalate.

WebJourneys SDK or Direct access, in the browser.[View overview](/developers/sdks-and-tools/web)Last updated on Oct 8, 2026**