diff --git a/static/js/launch_progress.js b/static/js/launch_progress.js
index 49ea4c8..ce373b5 100644
--- a/static/js/launch_progress.js
+++ b/static/js/launch_progress.js
@@ -123,6 +123,18 @@ function initializeSteps() {
         </div>
     `;
     stepsContainer.appendChild(healthStep);
+
+    // Add Authentication step
+    const authStep = document.createElement('div');
+    authStep.className = 'step-item';
+    authStep.innerHTML = `
+        <div class="step-icon"><i class="fas fa-key"></i></div>
+        <div class="step-content">
+            <h5>Instance Authentication</h5>
+            <p class="step-status">Setting up instance authentication...</p>
+        </div>
+    `;
+    stepsContainer.appendChild(authStep);
 }
 
 async function startLaunch(data) {
@@ -410,9 +422,65 @@ async function startLaunch(data) {
             healthStep.querySelector('.step-content').appendChild(retryButton);
         }
 
+        // After health check, add authentication step
+        await updateStep(10, 'Instance Authentication', 'Setting up instance authentication...');
+        const authResult = await authenticateInstance(`https://${data.webAddresses[0]}`, data.instanceId);
+
+        if (!authResult.success) {
+            throw new Error(`Authentication failed: ${authResult.error}`);
+        }
+
+        // Update the auth step to show success
+        const authStep = document.querySelectorAll('.step-item')[9];
+        authStep.classList.remove('active');
+        authStep.classList.add('completed');
+        authStep.querySelector('.step-status').textContent = authResult.alreadyAuthenticated ? 
+            'Instance is already authenticated' : 
+            'Successfully authenticated instance';
+
+        // Add authentication details
+        const authDetails = document.createElement('div');
+        authDetails.className = 'mt-3';
+        authDetails.innerHTML = `
+            <div class="card">
+                <div class="card-body">
+                    <h6 class="card-title mb-3">Authentication Details</h6>
+                    <div class="table-responsive">
+                        <table class="table table-sm">
+                            <thead>
+                                <tr>
+                                    <th>Property</th>
+                                    <th>Value</th>
+                                </tr>
+                            </thead>
+                            <tbody>
+                                <tr>
+                                    <td>Status</td>
+                                    <td><span class="badge bg-success">Authenticated</span></td>
+                                </tr>
+                                <tr>
+                                    <td>Default Admin</td>
+                                    <td>administrator@docupulse.com</td>
+                                </tr>
+                                <tr>
+                                    <td>Connection Type</td>
+                                    <td>Management API Key</td>
+                                </tr>
+                                <tr>
+                                    <td>Authentication Type</td>
+                                    <td>${authResult.alreadyAuthenticated ? 'Existing' : 'New'}</td>
+                                </tr>
+                            </tbody>
+                        </table>
+                    </div>
+                </div>
+            </div>
+        `;
+        authStep.querySelector('.step-content').appendChild(authDetails);
+
     } catch (error) {
         console.error('Launch failed:', error);
-        await updateStep(9, 'Health Check', `Error: ${error.message}`);
+        await updateStep(10, 'Instance Authentication', `Error: ${error.message}`);
         showError(error.message);
     }
 }
@@ -1018,8 +1086,8 @@ function updateStep(stepNumber, title, description) {
         document.getElementById('currentStep').textContent = title;
         document.getElementById('stepDescription').textContent = description;
 
-        // Calculate progress based on total number of steps (9 steps total)
-        const totalSteps = 9;
+        // Calculate progress based on total number of steps (10 steps total)
+        const totalSteps = 10;
         const progress = ((stepNumber - 1) / (totalSteps - 1)) * 100;
         const progressBar = document.getElementById('launchProgress');
         progressBar.style.width = `${progress}%`;
@@ -1302,4 +1370,125 @@ async function checkInstanceHealth(instanceUrl) {
             currentAttempt++;
         }
     }
+}
+
+async function authenticateInstance(instanceUrl, instanceId) {
+    try {
+        // First check if instance is already authenticated
+        const instancesResponse = await fetch('/instances');
+        const text = await instancesResponse.text();
+        const parser = new DOMParser();
+        const doc = parser.parseFromString(text, 'text/html');
+        
+        // Find the instance with matching URL
+        const instanceRow = Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll('table tbody tr')).find(row => {
+            const urlCell = row.querySelector('td:nth-child(7) a'); // URL is in the 7th column
+            return urlCell && urlCell.textContent.trim() === instanceUrl;
+        });
+
+        if (!instanceRow) {
+            throw new Error('Instance not found in database');
+        }
+
+        // Get the instance ID from the status badge's data attribute
+        const statusBadge = instanceRow.querySelector('[data-instance-id]');
+        if (!statusBadge) {
+            throw new Error('Could not find instance ID');
+        }
+
+        const dbInstanceId = statusBadge.dataset.instanceId;
+
+        // Check if already authenticated
+        const authStatusResponse = await fetch(`/instances/${dbInstanceId}/auth-status`);
+        if (!authStatusResponse.ok) {
+            throw new Error('Failed to check authentication status');
+        }
+
+        const authStatus = await authStatusResponse.json();
+        if (authStatus.authenticated) {
+            console.log('Instance is already authenticated');
+            return {
+                success: true,
+                message: 'Instance is already authenticated',
+                alreadyAuthenticated: true
+            };
+        }
+
+        console.log('Attempting login to:', `${instanceUrl}/api/admin/login`);
+        
+        // First login to get token
+        const loginResponse = await fetch(`${instanceUrl}/api/admin/login`, {
+            method: 'POST',
+            headers: {
+                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                'Accept': 'application/json'
+            },
+            body: JSON.stringify({ 
+                email: 'administrator@docupulse.com', 
+                password: 'changeme' 
+            })
+        });
+
+        if (!loginResponse.ok) {
+            const errorText = await loginResponse.text();
+            throw new Error(`Login failed: ${errorText}`);
+        }
+
+        const loginData = await loginResponse.json();
+        if (loginData.status !== 'success' || !loginData.token) {
+            throw new Error('Login failed: Invalid response from server');
+        }
+
+        const token = loginData.token;
+
+        // Then create management API key
+        const keyResponse = await fetch(`${instanceUrl}/api/admin/management-api-key`, {
+            method: 'POST',
+            headers: {
+                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                'Accept': 'application/json',
+                'Authorization': `Bearer ${token}`
+            },
+            body: JSON.stringify({
+                name: `Connection from ${window.location.hostname}`
+            })
+        });
+
+        if (!keyResponse.ok) {
+            const errorText = await keyResponse.text();
+            throw new Error(`Failed to create API key: ${errorText}`);
+        }
+
+        const keyData = await keyResponse.json();
+        if (!keyData.api_key) {
+            throw new Error('No API key received from server');
+        }
+        
+        // Save the token to our database
+        const saveResponse = await fetch(`/instances/${dbInstanceId}/save-token`, {
+            method: 'POST',
+            headers: {
+                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                'X-CSRF-Token': document.querySelector('meta[name="csrf-token"]').content
+            },
+            body: JSON.stringify({ token: keyData.api_key })
+        });
+
+        if (!saveResponse.ok) {
+            const errorText = await saveResponse.text();
+            throw new Error(`Failed to save token: ${errorText}`);
+        }
+
+        return {
+            success: true,
+            message: 'Successfully authenticated instance',
+            alreadyAuthenticated: false
+        };
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.error('Authentication error:', error);
+        return {
+            success: false,
+            error: error.message
+        };
+    }
 } 
\ No newline at end of file