Get Started with Firebase Authentication on Android

Connect your app to Firebase

If you haven't already, add Firebase to your Android project.

Add Firebase Authentication to your app

  1. In your module (app-level) Gradle file (usually <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle.kts or <project>/<app-module>/build.gradle), add the dependency for the Firebase Authentication library for Android. We recommend using the Firebase Android BoM to control library versioning. 

    dependencies {
    // Import the BoM for the Firebase platform
    implementation(platform("com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:33.6.0"))

    // Add the dependency for the Firebase Authentication library
    // When using the BoM, you don't specify versions in Firebase library dependencies
    implementation("com.google.firebase:firebase-auth")
}

    By using the Firebase Android BoM, your app will always use compatible versions of Firebase Android libraries.

    (Alternative)  Add Firebase library dependencies without using the BoM

    If you choose not to use the Firebase BoM, you must specify each Firebase library version in its dependency line.

    Note that if you use multiple Firebase libraries in your app, we strongly recommend using the BoM to manage library versions, which ensures that all versions are compatible. 

    dependencies {
    // Add the dependency for the Firebase Authentication library
    // When NOT using the BoM, you must specify versions in Firebase library dependencies
    implementation("com.google.firebase:firebase-auth:23.1.0")
}
         Looking for a Kotlin-specific library module? Starting in October 2023 (Firebase BoM 32.5.0), both Kotlin and Java developers can depend on the main library module (for details, see the FAQ about this initiative).

  2. To use an authentication provider, you need to enable it in the Firebase console. Go to the Sign-in Method page in the Firebase Authentication section to enable Email/Password sign-in and any other identity providers you want for your app.

(Optional) Prototype and test with Firebase Local Emulator Suite

Before talking about how your app authenticates users, let's introduce a set of tools you can use to prototype and test Authentication functionality: Firebase Local Emulator Suite. If you're deciding among authentication techniques and providers, trying out different data models with public and private data using Authentication and Firebase Security Rules, or prototyping sign-in UI designs, being able to work locally without deploying live services can be a great idea.

An Authentication emulator is part of the Local Emulator Suite, which enables your app to interact with emulated database content and config, as well as optionally your emulated project resources (functions, other databases, and security rules).

Using the Authentication emulator involves just a few steps:

  1. Adding a line of code to your app's test config to connect to the emulator.
  2. From the root of your local project directory, running firebase emulators:start.
  3. Using the Local Emulator Suite UI for interactive prototyping, or the Authentication emulator REST API for non-interactive testing.

A detailed guide is available at Connect your app to the Authentication emulator. For more information, see the Local Emulator Suite introduction.

Now let's continue with how to authenticate users.

Check current auth state

  1. Declare an instance of FirebaseAuth.

    Kotlin+KTX 

    private lateinit var auth: FirebaseAuth
    EmailPasswordActivity.kt

    Java 

    private FirebaseAuth mAuth;
    EmailPasswordActivity.java

  2. In the onCreate() method, initialize the FirebaseAuth instance.

    Kotlin+KTX 

    // Initialize Firebase Auth
auth = Firebase.auth
    EmailPasswordActivity.kt

    Java 

    // Initialize Firebase Auth
mAuth = FirebaseAuth.getInstance();
    EmailPasswordActivity.java

  3. When initializing your Activity, check to see if the user is currently signed in.

    Kotlin+KTX 

    public override fun onStart() {
    super.onStart()
    // Check if user is signed in (non-null) and update UI accordingly.
    val currentUser = auth.currentUser
    if (currentUser != null) {
        reload()
    }
}
    EmailPasswordActivity.kt

    Java 

    @Override
public void onStart() {
    super.onStart();
    // Check if user is signed in (non-null) and update UI accordingly.
    FirebaseUser currentUser = mAuth.getCurrentUser();
    if(currentUser != null){
        reload();
    }
}
    EmailPasswordActivity.java

Sign up new users

Create a new createAccount method that takes in an email address and password, validates them, and then creates a new user with the createUserWithEmailAndPassword method.

Kotlin+KTX 

auth.createUserWithEmailAndPassword(email, password)
    .addOnCompleteListener(this) { task ->
        if (task.isSuccessful) {
            // Sign in success, update UI with the signed-in user's information
            Log.d(TAG, "createUserWithEmail:success")
            val user = auth.currentUser
            updateUI(user)
        } else {
            // If sign in fails, display a message to the user.
            Log.w(TAG, "createUserWithEmail:failure", task.exception)
            Toast.makeText(
                baseContext,
                "Authentication failed.",
                Toast.LENGTH_SHORT,
            ).show()
            updateUI(null)
        }
    }
EmailPasswordActivity.kt

Java 

mAuth.createUserWithEmailAndPassword(email, password)
        .addOnCompleteListener(this, new OnCompleteListener<AuthResult>() {
            @Override
            public void onComplete(@NonNull Task<AuthResult> task) {
                if (task.isSuccessful()) {
                    // Sign in success, update UI with the signed-in user's information
                    Log.d(TAG, "createUserWithEmail:success");
                    FirebaseUser user = mAuth.getCurrentUser();
                    updateUI(user);
                } else {
                    // If sign in fails, display a message to the user.
                    Log.w(TAG, "createUserWithEmail:failure", task.getException());
                    Toast.makeText(EmailPasswordActivity.this, "Authentication failed.",
                            Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    updateUI(null);
                }
            }
        });
EmailPasswordActivity.java

Add a form to register new users with their email and password and call this new method when it is submitted. You can see an example in our quickstart sample.

Sign in existing users

Create a new signIn method which takes in an email address and password, validates them, and then signs a user in with the signInWithEmailAndPassword method.

Kotlin+KTX 

auth.signInWithEmailAndPassword(email, password)
    .addOnCompleteListener(this) { task ->
        if (task.isSuccessful) {
            // Sign in success, update UI with the signed-in user's information
            Log.d(TAG, "signInWithEmail:success")
            val user = auth.currentUser
            updateUI(user)
        } else {
            // If sign in fails, display a message to the user.
            Log.w(TAG, "signInWithEmail:failure", task.exception)
            Toast.makeText(
                baseContext,
                "Authentication failed.",
                Toast.LENGTH_SHORT,
            ).show()
            updateUI(null)
        }
    }
EmailPasswordActivity.kt

Java 

mAuth.signInWithEmailAndPassword(email, password)
        .addOnCompleteListener(this, new OnCompleteListener<AuthResult>() {
            @Override
            public void onComplete(@NonNull Task<AuthResult> task) {
                if (task.isSuccessful()) {
                    // Sign in success, update UI with the signed-in user's information
                    Log.d(TAG, "signInWithEmail:success");
                    FirebaseUser user = mAuth.getCurrentUser();
                    updateUI(user);
                } else {
                    // If sign in fails, display a message to the user.
                    Log.w(TAG, "signInWithEmail:failure", task.getException());
                    Toast.makeText(EmailPasswordActivity.this, "Authentication failed.",
                            Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    updateUI(null);
                }
            }
        });
EmailPasswordActivity.java

Add a form to sign in users with their email and password and call this new method when it is submitted. You can see an example in our quickstart sample.

Access user information

If a user has signed in successfully you can get their account data at any point with the getCurrentUser method.

Kotlin+KTX 

val user = Firebase.auth.currentUser
user?.let {
    // Name, email address, and profile photo Url
    val name = it.displayName
    val email = it.email
    val photoUrl = it.photoUrl

    // Check if user's email is verified
    val emailVerified = it.isEmailVerified

    // The user's ID, unique to the Firebase project. Do NOT use this value to
    // authenticate with your backend server, if you have one. Use
    // FirebaseUser.getIdToken() instead.
    val uid = it.uid
}
MainActivity.kt

Java 

FirebaseUser user = FirebaseAuth.getInstance().getCurrentUser();
if (user != null) {
    // Name, email address, and profile photo Url
    String name = user.getDisplayName();
    String email = user.getEmail();
    Uri photoUrl = user.getPhotoUrl();

    // Check if user's email is verified
    boolean emailVerified = user.isEmailVerified();

    // The user's ID, unique to the Firebase project. Do NOT use this value to
    // authenticate with your backend server, if you have one. Use
    // FirebaseUser.getIdToken() instead.
    String uid = user.getUid();
}
MainActivity.java

Next Steps

Explore the guides on adding other identity and authentication services: