Using WordPress ‘auth_cookie’ PHP filter

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The auth_cookie WordPress PHP filter allows you to modify the authentication cookie.

Usage

add_filter('auth_cookie', 'your_custom_function', 10, 5);

function your_custom_function($cookie, $user_id, $expiration, $scheme, $token) {
  // your custom code here
  return $cookie;
}

Parameters

  • $cookie (string): The authentication cookie.
  • $user_id (int): The User ID.
  • $expiration (int): The time the cookie expires as a UNIX timestamp.
  • $scheme (string): Cookie scheme used. Accepts ‘auth’, ‘secure_auth’, or ‘logged_in’.
  • $token (string): User’s session token used.

More information

See WordPress Developer Resources: auth_cookie

Examples

In this example, we extend the expiration time of the authentication cookie by 1 day.

add_filter('auth_cookie', 'extend_auth_cookie_expiration', 10, 5);

function extend_auth_cookie_expiration($cookie, $user_id, $expiration, $scheme, $token) {
  $extended_expiration = $expiration + DAY_IN_SECONDS;
  return wp_generate_auth_cookie($user_id, $extended_expiration, $scheme, $token);
}

In this example, we change the cookie scheme to ‘secure_auth’.

add_filter('auth_cookie', 'change_cookie_scheme', 10, 5);

function change_cookie_scheme($cookie, $user_id, $expiration, $scheme, $token) {
  return wp_generate_auth_cookie($user_id, $expiration, 'secure_auth', $token);
}

In this example, we add custom data to the authentication cookie.

add_filter('auth_cookie', 'add_custom_data_to_cookie', 10, 5);

function add_custom_data_to_cookie($cookie, $user_id, $expiration, $scheme, $token) {
  $custom_data = '|custom_data_here';
  return $cookie . $custom_data;
}

In this example, we invalidate the authentication cookie for users with the ‘subscriber’ role.

add_filter('auth_cookie', 'invalidate_auth_cookie_for_subscribers', 10, 5);

function invalidate_auth_cookie_for_subscribers($cookie, $user_id, $expiration, $scheme, $token) {
  $user = get_userdata($user_id);
  if (in_array('subscriber', $user->roles)) {
    return '';
  }
  return $cookie;
}

In this example, we generate a custom token and use it for the authentication cookie.

add_filter('auth_cookie', 'change_auth_cookie_token', 10, 5);

function change_auth_cookie_token($cookie, $user_id, $expiration, $scheme, $token) {
  $custom_token = 'custom_token_here';
  return wp_generate_auth_cookie($user_id, $expiration, $scheme, $custom_token);
}