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.

ISHANTDEEP SINGH ISHANTDEEP SINGH Senior Software Engineer with 7+ years of experience in React, JavaScript, TypeScript, Next.js, and Node.js. I’ve also worked as a tech lead for startups, owning end-to-end technical execution including architecture, development, scaling, and delivery. I bring a strong mix of hands-on coding, product thinking, and technical leadership, and I’m comfortable building products from scratch as well as improving and scaling existing systems. Antriksh Narang Antriksh Narang 5 years+ Experienced Dev (Specially in Web Development), can help in python, javascript, react, next.js and full stack web dev technologies. Jaime Orts-Caroff Jaime Orts-Caroff I'm a Senior Android developer, open to work in various fields Alvin Voo Alvin Voo I’ve watched the tech landscape evolve over the last decade—from the structured days of Java Server Pages to the current "wild west" of Agentic-driven development. While AI can "vibe" a frontend into existence, I specialize in the architecture that keeps it from collapsing. My expertise lies in the critical backend infrastructure: the parts that must be fast, secure, and scalable. I thrive on high-pressure environments, such as when I had only three weeks to architect and launch an Ethereum redemption system with minimal prior crypto knowledge, turning it into a major revenue stream. What I bring to your project: Forensic Debugging: I don't just "patch" bugs; I use tools like Datadog and Explain Analyzers to map out bottlenecks and resolve root causes—like significantly reducing memory usage by optimizing complex DB joins. Full-Stack Context: Deep experience in Node.js and React, ensuring backends play perfectly with mobile and web teams. Sanity in the Age of AI: I bridge the gap between "best practices" and modern speed, ensuring your project isn't just built fast, but built to last. Franck Plazanet Franck Plazanet I am a Strategic Engineering Leader with over 8 years of experience building high-availability enterprise systems and scaling high-performing technical teams. My focus is on bridging the gap between complex technology and business growth. Core Expertise: 🚀 Leadership: Managing and coaching teams of 15+ engineers, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. 🏗️ Architecture: Enterprise Core Systems, Multi-system Integration (ERP/API/ETL), and Core Database Structure. ☁️ Cloud & Scale: AWS Expert; architected systems handling 10B+ monthly requests and managing 100k+ SKUs. 📈 Business Impact: Aligning tech strategy with P&L goals to drive $70k+ in monthly recurring revenue. I thrive on "out-of-the-box" thinking to solve complex technical bottlenecks and am always looking for ways to use automation to improve business productivity. Stanislav Prigodich Stanislav Prigodich 15+ years building iOS and web apps at startups and enterprise companies. I want to use that experience to help builders ship real products - when something breaks, I'm here to fix it. Krishna Sai Kuncha Krishna Sai Kuncha Experienced Professional Full stack Developer with 8+ years of experience across react, python, js, ts, golang and react-native. Developed inhouse websearch tooling for AI before websearch was solved : ) Luca Liberati Luca Liberati I work on monoliths and microservices, backends and frontends, manage K8s clusters and love to design apps architecture Tejas Chokhawala Tejas Chokhawala Full-stack engineer with 5 years experience building production web apps using React, Next.js and TypeScript. Focused on performance, clean architecture and shipping fast. Experienced with Supabase/Postgres backends, Stripe billing, and building AI-assisted developer tools. Taufan Taufan I’m a product-focused engineer and tech leader who builds scalable systems and turns ideas into production-ready platforms. Over the past years, I’ve worked across startups and fast-moving teams, leading backend architecture, improving system reliability, and shipping products used by thousands of users. My strength is not just writing code — but connecting product vision, technical execution, and business impact.

You don't need to be technical. Just describe what's wrong and a verified developer will handle the rest.

Get Help

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

Can't fix it yourself?
Real developers can help.

You don't need to be technical. Just describe what's wrong and a verified developer will handle the rest.

Get Help