Library / Users & access / Session
No. 057·noun·also called login session, cookie, stay signed in

Session

The period an app remembers you're signed in, so you don't have to log in on every page.

SPECIMEN · DIAGRAM · STATES
Signed out
Session active
Expired
sign in30 days idlesign outsign in again
Definition

What it is

A session starts when you sign in and lasts until you sign out or it expires. The app usually remembers it with a small cookie in your browser.

You'll want to decide how long sessions last. A bank might sign you out after 15 idle minutes; a to-do app might keep you signed in for months.

Session issues show up as "it keeps logging me out" or "I signed out but I'm still in on my other tab."

Say it like a builder

How to ask for it

Vague

“It keeps asking me to log in again.”

Precise

“Keep user sessions active for 30 days, refreshed whenever the user visits. Add a "Sign out of all devices" button in Settings that ends every session for that user.”

Why it works

The weak prompt reports a symptom; naming the session length and sign-out behavior defines what "staying logged in" means.

In the wild

You've seen this in

  • TStaying signed in to Netflix for months
  • YYour bank signing you out after inactivity
  • G"Sign out of all devices" in Google
Usage note

Often confused with

AuthenticationAuthentication is the sign-in moment; the session is what keeps you signed in afterward.