# Using PHP Sessions to Keep Users Logged In In the previous tutorial, you created a login form that verified usernames and passwords. In this tutorial, you will use PHP sessions to remember who is logged in and keep them signed in while they navigate your website. --- ## What is a Session? A session allows PHP to store information about a user while they move between pages. Without sessions, a website would forget who the user is every time a new page loads. --- ## Start a Session Open your existing: ```text login.php ``` Add the following code at the very top of the file: ```php ``` The `session_start()` function must be called before any HTML is sent to the browser. Your file should now begin with: ```php Login successful.

"; } ``` Replace it with: ```php if ( password_verify( $password, $user["password"] ) ) { $_SESSION["user_id"] = $user["user_id"]; $_SESSION["username"] = $user["username"]; echo "

Login successful.

"; } ``` When a user logs in successfully, their information is now stored in the session. --- ## Create a Members Page Create a new file called: ```text members.php ``` Add the following code: ```php Members Area

Members Area

Welcome,

``` Save the file. --- ## Open the Members Page Visit: ```text http://localhost/members.php ``` If you have logged in successfully, you should see: ```text Members Area Welcome, admin ``` or whatever username was used to log in. [![](https://mr.napper.au/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/scaled-1680-/image-1780894712588.png)](https://mr.napper.au/uploads/images/gallery/2026-06/image-1780894712588.png) ## Display Additional Session Information You can access any values stored in the session. For example: ```php

User ID:

``` Result: ```text User ID: 1 ``` --- ## View the Session Data Add the following code to the members page: ```php
``` Example output: ```text Array ( [user_id] => 1 [username] => admin ) ``` This can be useful when testing. ## Redirect Users After Login Instead of displaying: ```php echo "

Login successful.

"; ``` replace the success code with: ```php $_SESSION["user_id"] = $user["user_id"]; $_SESSION["username"] = $user["username"]; header("Location: members.php"); exit(); ``` Now users will be automatically redirected to the members page after a successful login. --- ## Test the Complete Process 1. Open: ```text http://localhost/login.php ``` 2. Log in using an existing account. 3. You should be redirected to: ```text http://localhost/members.php ``` 4. The page should display your username. > **Screenshot Placeholder** > > Insert screenshot showing the successful login redirect. --- ## Complete Login Success Code ```php if ( password_verify( $password, $user["password"] ) ) { $_SESSION["user_id"] = $user["user_id"]; $_SESSION["username"] = $user["username"]; header("Location: members.php"); exit(); } ``` --- ## Complete Members Page ```php Members Area

Members Area

Welcome,

User ID:

``` You now have a working login system that remembers users between pages using PHP sessions. Next tutorial: **Protecting Pages and Preventing Unauthorised Access**.