How to use auth_cookie_expiration filter in WordPress

auth_cookie_expiration filter

Filters the duration of the authentication cookie expiration period.

To use auth_cookie_expiration filter, first, you have to register it using add_filter. You can write this code into functions.php of your activated theme or in a custom WordPress Plugin.

We at WePlugins always prefer to create a custom WordPress Plugin while using hooks so nothing breaks when you update your WordPress Theme in the future.

In the below live example, we have defined a function modify_auth_cookie_expiration_defaults which takes 3 parameters and we registered using add_filter. The first parameter auth_cookie_expiration is the name of the hook, the second parameter modify_auth_cookie_expiration_defaults is the name of the function which needs to be called, the third parameter is the priority of calling the hook if the same hook is used multiple times and the last parameter is the number of arguments (if any) to be passed in the registered function.

Sometimes, you have to remove a registered hook so you can use remove_filter to remove auth_cookie_expiration filter.

Parameters

Below are the 3 parameters required to use this hook.

• $length: (int) Duration of the expiration period in seconds.
• $user_id: (int) User ID.
• $remember: (bool) Whether to remember the user login. Default false.

Live Example

Example 1: Set Login Session to One Year

Below is an example of how you can use this hook to set the login session limit to one year.

    add_filter('auth_cookie_expiration', 'weplugins_login_session');
    function weplugins_login_session($expire) {
        // Set login session limit in seconds
        return YEAR_IN_SECONDS;
        // return MONTH_IN_SECONDS;
        // return DAY_IN_SECONDS;
        // return HOUR_IN_SECONDS;
    }
    

Example 2: Modify Expiration Defaults

Below is an example of how you can modify the default expiration settings based on your requirements.

    function weplugins_modify_auth_cookie_expiration_defaults($length, $user_id, $remember) { 
        // Update the $length variable according to your website requirements and return this variable. You can modify the $length variable conditionally too if you want.

        return $length; 
    }
    // add the filter
    add_filter("auth_cookie_expiration", "weplugins_modify_auth_cookie_expiration_defaults", 10, 3);
    

Example 3: Remove Hook Callback

To remove a hook callback, use the example below.

    remove_filter("auth_cookie_expiration", "weplugins_modify_auth_cookie_expiration_defaults", 10, 3);
    

Please make sure to provide the same callback function name, priority, and number of arguments while removing the hook callback.

Contact Us

If you’re having any trouble using this hook, please contact our WordPress Development Team and we’d be happy to assist you.