Why Does the Okta Session Expire but the App Session Remain Active
May 27, 2025
Single Sign-On
Okta Classic Engine
Okta Identity Engine
Overview
This article explains the distinction between application sessions and Okta sessions, and how to reconnect to an application once its session ends.
Applies To
- Application session
- Access Token
- Secure Assertion Markup Language (SAML)
Solution
Application sessions are not controlled by Okta. They are separate from Okta sessions. Once Okta has authenticated the user into the application, Okta's role is finished.
If the application session ends, the user will need to log in again through Okta. If there is an active Okta session when the application session ends, simply reconnect to the app through the Okta dashboard or directly through the app's sign-in page.
