Bolt auth

Session Lost on Page Refresh - Auth State Not Persisting

Users log in successfully but get logged out whenever they refresh the page or return later. The session persists during the same browser tab but is lost on navigation or reload.

This happens because authentication state isn't being saved to browser storage or the session storage isn't being retrieved on app initialization.

Error Messages You Might See

User object is undefined after refresh Session expired immediately Auth context lost on navigation
User object is undefined after refreshSession expired immediatelyAuth context lost on navigation

Common Causes

  1. Auth state stored only in React state, not in localStorage/sessionStorage
  2. Session token not being sent in HTTP-only cookies
  3. No auth check on app initialization
  4. Session storage cleared on mount due to conditional logic error
  5. Server-side session not properly configured with persistent backend

How to Fix It

Use useEffect to check for existing session on app mount: useEffect(() => { const token = localStorage.getItem('auth_token'); if(token) validateToken(token); }, [])

Implement persistent session with HTTP-only cookies set by backend on login

Use Next.js middleware to validate session before rendering protected routes

Real developers can help you.

Jen Jacobsen Jen Jacobsen I’m a Full-Stack Developer with over 10 years of experience building modern web and mobile applications. I enjoy working across the full product lifecycle — turning ideas into real, well-built products that are intuitive for users and scalable for businesses. I particularly enjoy building mobile apps, modern web platforms, and solving complex technical problems in a way that keeps systems clean, reliable, and easy to maintain. Basel Issmail Basel Issmail ’m a Senior Full-Stack Developer and Tech Lead with experience designing and building scalable web platforms. I work across the full development lifecycle, from translating business requirements into technical architecture to delivering reliable production systems. My work focuses on modern web technologies, including TypeScript, Angular, Node.js, and cloud-based architectures. I enjoy solving complex technical problems and helping teams turn product ideas and prototypes into working platforms that can grow and scale. In addition to development, I often collaborate closely with product managers, business analysts, designers, and QA teams to ensure that solutions align with both technical and business goals. I enjoy working with startups and product teams where I can contribute both as a hands-on engineer and as a technical partner in designing and delivering impactful software. Victor Denisov Victor Denisov Developer Meïr Ankri Meïr Ankri Full-stack developer specializing in React / Next.js / Node.js with 6+ years of experience. I've worked across various sectors including automotive (Reezocar/Société Générale), healthcare (Medical Link SaaS), and e-commerce (Glasman). I build web apps end-to-end, from architecture to production, with a focus on scalability, performance, and code quality. I also mentor junior developers and contribute to technical decisions and code reviews. Bastien Labelle Bastien Labelle Full stack dev w/ 20+ years of experience Richard McSorley Richard McSorley Full-Stack Software Engineer with 8+ years building high-performance applications for enterprise clients. Shipped production systems at Walmart (4,000+ stores), Cigna (20M+ users), and Arkansas Blue Cross. 5 patents in retail/supply chain tech. Currently focused on AI integrations, automation tools, and TypeScript-first architectures. AUXLE AUXLE I am a Full Stack Developer experienced in building Websites, Web apps and Cross Platform Mobile Apps for Startups and Companies. hanson1014 hanson1014 Full-stack developer experienced in fixing and deploying AI-generated apps from Lovable, Bolt.new, Cursor, and Replit. I specialize in debugging Supabase integration issues (auth flows, RLS policies, database connections), fixing broken deployments, resolving routing/blank screen problems, and cleaning up messy React/Vite codebases. I also build production apps with the Claude API and have shipped a Mac desktop dev tool (Nexterm from scratch. Based in Hong Kong, fast turnaround. Matthew Butler Matthew Butler Systems Development Engineer @ Amazon Web Services Daniel Vázquez Daniel Vázquez Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience on Startups, Government, big tech industry & consulting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use localStorage or sessionStorage?

For remember-me functionality use localStorage. For security-critical apps prefer HTTP-only cookies via backend

How do I auto-login on page load?

Check for stored token/cookie on app mount in a useEffect with empty dependency array, then validate with your backend

What's the difference between client and server session?

Client session lives in browser storage; server session persists authentication on backend with encrypted tokens

Related Bolt Issues

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