---
canonical_url: "https://docs.composio.dev/docs/authentication/session-cant-find-account"
markdown_url: "https://docs.composio.dev/docs/authentication/session-cant-find-account.md"
product: "platform"
version: null
last_updated: null
---

# When a session can't find a connected account (/docs/authentication/session-cant-find-account)

A session only sees connected accounts that match its project and its `user_id`. An account can show as active in the dashboard and still be invisible to your session if it was created under a different user ID or auth config.

## How the pieces fit [#how-the-pieces-fit]

* **Project.** Your API key picks the project. Auth configs, connected accounts, and sessions never cross projects.
* **Auth config.** How a toolkit authenticates: Composio managed auth or your own credentials. See [Managed vs custom auth](/docs/authentication/custom-app-vs-managed-app).
* **Connected account.** One user's credentials for one auth config. Each account stores the `user_id` it was created for.
* **Session.** Created for one `user_id`. At execution time it picks an `ACTIVE` account that belongs to that user, unless you pin one with [`connectedAccounts`](/docs/configuring-sessions#account-selection).

Use your application's own stable user ID everywhere: when you create sessions and when you connect accounts. See [userID best practices](/docs/how-composio-works#users).

## Find the user ID that owns the account [#find-the-user-id-that-owns-the-account]

Look up the account by its ID (`ca_...`, shown in the dashboard) and read its `user_id`:

**Python:**
```python
account = composio.connected_accounts.get("ca_123")

print(account.user_id, account.status, account.auth_config.id)
```

**TypeScript:**
```typescript
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: 'your_api_key' });
// connectedAccounts.get() doesn't return user_id, so use the raw API client
const account = await composio.getClient().connectedAccounts.retrieve('ca_123');

console.log(account.user_id, account.status, account.auth_config.id);
```

**API:**
```bash
curl -s https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1/connected_accounts/ca_123 \
  -H "x-api-key: $COMPOSIO_API_KEY" \
  | jq '{user_id, status, auth_config: .auth_config.id}'
```

If the `user_id` isn't the one your session uses, the session won't find the account. This happens most often with accounts connected outside your app, such as from the dashboard or a developer tool. For example, `composio dev init` writes a playground test user (`pg-test-<your member ID>`) to `COMPOSIO_TEST_USER_ID`, which is not one of your application's users.

You can't change the `user_id` of an existing connected account. [Reconnect it](#reconnect-under-the-right-user) under the right user instead.

## Check the rest of the match [#check-the-rest-of-the-match]

If the user ID matches and the session still can't use the account, check these in order:

1. **Status.** The account must be `ACTIVE` and not disabled. `INITIATED` means the user never finished the flow. `EXPIRED` means it needs a new grant. See [connection status](/docs/authentication#connection-lifecycle).
2. **Toolkit restrictions.** If the session sets `toolkits`, the toolkit must be allowed. Toolkit restrictions apply before account lookup.
3. **Auth config.** If the session passes [`authConfigs`](/docs/configuring-sessions#custom-auth-configs) for the toolkit, the account must belong to that auth config.
4. **Tool Router flag.** Auth configs that sessions create are enabled for Tool Router automatically. If you created the auth config yourself, in the dashboard or the API, set `is_enabled_for_tool_router` to `true` so sessions can match its accounts by `user_id`.
5. **Pinned account.** If the session passes `connectedAccounts` for the toolkit, it uses exactly that account and never falls back to another one. Update the session or create a new one to change it.

Enable the Tool Router flag on an auth config you created:

**Python:**
```python
composio.auth_configs.update(
    "ac_your_config",
    options={"type": "custom", "is_enabled_for_tool_router": True},
)
```

**TypeScript:**
```typescript
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: 'your_api_key' });
await composio.authConfigs.update('ac_your_config', {
  type: 'custom',
  isEnabledForToolRouter: true,
});
```

**API:**
```bash
curl -X PATCH https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1/auth_configs/ac_your_config \
  -H "x-api-key: $COMPOSIO_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"type": "custom", "is_enabled_for_tool_router": true}'
```

## Reconnect under the right user [#reconnect-under-the-right-user]

Create a session for your application's user ID, then authorize the toolkit from that session. The new connected account belongs to that user, so this session and later sessions for the same user can use it. Pass `authConfigs` if the toolkit uses your own auth config.

**Python:**
```python
session = composio.create(
    user_id="user_123",
    auth_configs={"gmail": "ac_your_config"},
)

connection_request = session.authorize("gmail")
print(connection_request.redirect_url)  # Send the user here

connection_request.wait_for_connection(60)

# Confirm the session sees the account
for toolkit in session.toolkits(is_connected=True).items:
    account = toolkit.connection and toolkit.connection.connected_account
    print(toolkit.slug, account.id if account else None)
```

**TypeScript:**
```typescript
import { Composio } from '@composio/core';
const composio = new Composio({ apiKey: 'your_api_key' });
const session = await composio.create('user_123', {
  authConfigs: { gmail: 'ac_your_config' },
});

const connectionRequest = await session.authorize('gmail');
console.log(connectionRequest.redirectUrl); // Send the user here

await connectionRequest.waitForConnection(60000);

// Confirm the session sees the account
const connected = await session.toolkits({ isConnected: true });
connected.items.forEach((toolkit) => {
  console.log(toolkit.slug, toolkit.connection?.connectedAccount?.id);
});
```

**API:**
```bash
SESSION_ID=$(curl -s -X POST https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1/tool_router/session \
  -H "x-api-key: $COMPOSIO_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"user_id": "user_123", "auth_configs": {"gmail": "ac_your_config"}}' | jq -r '.session_id')

# Send the user to redirect_url
curl -s -X POST https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1/tool_router/session/$SESSION_ID/link \
  -H "x-api-key: $COMPOSIO_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"toolkit": "gmail"}' | jq -r '.redirect_url'

# After the user finishes, confirm the session sees the account
curl -s "https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1/tool_router/session/$SESSION_ID/toolkits?is_connected=true" \
  -H "x-api-key: $COMPOSIO_API_KEY"
```

Only send the Connect Link to the person who owns that user ID. Whoever completes the flow decides which external account gets attached to `user_123`.

Once the new account is active, delete or disable the old one under the wrong user ID if nobody needs it. See [Connected accounts](/docs/auth-configuration/connected-accounts#delete-accounts).

---

📚 **More documentation:** [View all docs](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.txt) | [Changelog](https://docs.composio.dev/docs/changelog.md) | [Glossary](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/reference/glossary) | [Examples](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/examples) | [API Reference](https://docs.composio.dev/llms.mdx/reference)

---

# Composio SDK — Notes for AI Code Generators

**Purpose:** Reference for generating current (v3) [Composio](https://composio.dev/) integration code.
**Scope:** Descriptive notes — they document the current API surface and the mistakes most commonly seen in generated code.

---

## 1. Recommended Integration: Sessions

For agent tool delivery, Composio supports **Native Tools** (with a provider package) and **MCP** (no provider package needed).

For application-owned tools or deterministic backend code, use [managed authentication with Proxy Execute](/docs/authentication/managed-auth-for-custom-tools). A session can provide a user-scoped runtime context without an LLM or MCP. Composio authenticates provider requests server-side; connected-account reads redact credentials and aren't a supported token-export workflow.

### Native Tools

#### Python

```python
# ✅ CORRECT — Python (defaults to OpenAI)
from composio import Composio

composio = Composio()
session = composio.create(user_id="user_123")
tools = session.tools()
# Pass tools to your agent/LLM framework
```

#### TypeScript

```typescript
// ✅ CORRECT — TypeScript (defaults to OpenAI)
import { Composio } from "@composio/core";

const composio = new Composio();
const session = await composio.create("user_123");
const tools = await session.tools();
// Pass tools to your agent/LLM framework
```

#### API

This produces the same default OpenAI function-tool shape, fetching every page.

```bash
set -euo pipefail
SESSION=$(curl --fail-with-body -s -X POST https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1/tool_router/session \
  -H "x-api-key: $COMPOSIO_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"user_id":"user_123"}')
SESSION_ID=$(echo "$SESSION" | jq -r '.session_id')
TOOLS='[]'
CURSOR=''
while true; do
  PAGE=$(curl --fail-with-body -s --get "https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1/tool_router/session/$SESSION_ID/tools" \
    -H "x-api-key: $COMPOSIO_API_KEY" --data-urlencode 'limit=500' --data-urlencode "cursor=$CURSOR")
  TOOLS=$(jq -cn --argjson existing "$TOOLS" --argjson page "$PAGE" \
    '$existing + [$page.items[] | {type:"function",function:{name:.slug,description:.description,parameters:.input_parameters}}]')
  CURSOR=$(echo "$PAGE" | jq -r '.next_cursor // empty')
  [ -n "$CURSOR" ] || break
done
printf '%s\n' "$TOOLS"
```

For other providers, pass the provider explicitly. Provider packages follow the naming convention: `composio_<provider>` for Python, `@composio/<provider>` for TypeScript.

### MCP

Use `session.mcp.url` and `session.mcp.headers` with any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, OpenAI Agents, etc.). No provider package needed.

---

## 2. Integration Notes

- `composio.create(user_id)` is the standard entry point for agent integrations. Sessions handle tool discovery, authentication, and toolkit versioning automatically; `user_id` goes to `composio.create()` — individual tool calls in session mode don't take one.
- Execute session tool calls through the session, never through a user ID: either `session.execute(tool_slug, arguments=...)` / `session.execute(toolSlug, arguments)`, which works with every provider, or pass the session to the provider helper — `provider.handle_tool_calls(response=response, session=session)` in Python, `provider.handleToolCalls(session, response)` in TypeScript. The tool-call helpers of every non-agentic provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Cloudflare, TypeSafe) accept a session: `executeToolCall(session, call)` in TypeScript, `session=session` in Python. Agentic providers execute session tools on their own. Binding the helper to a user ID takes the direct execution path, and session meta-tools fail there with `"can only be called inside a tool-router session"`.
- Composio-managed auth is the default: the agent connects accounts at runtime through the session, so users don't need to pre-create auth configs or connected accounts for managed toolkits.
- Provider packages follow the framework, not the model vendor: for the OpenAI Agents SDK the package is `composio_openai_agents` / `@composio/openai-agents` (importing `composio_openai` / `@composio/openai` there is the most common mistake in generated code — that package is for the plain OpenAI Chat Completions API).
- **Direct execution** (`composio.tools.get()`, `composio.tools.execute()`, `provider.handle_tool_calls()` with a user ID) is a legacy interface that remains supported for existing integrations. Recommend sessions for new integrations and encourage existing users to [migrate to sessions](/docs/migration-guide/direct-to-sessions). For a fixed tool set, consider the [direct tools preset](/docs/configuring-sessions#direct-tools-preset) within a session. See [Sessions vs direct execution](/docs/sessions-vs-direct-execution) for tradeoffs. Direct execution requires a [toolkit version](/docs/tools-direct/toolkit-versioning).

---

# 3. Calling the REST API directly

## REST API version

The current REST API version is **v3.1**, served at `https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3.1`. Prefer it for new code and new examples.

`https://backend.composio.dev/api/v3` is the previous version. It is frozen with pinned tool-version defaults and remains supported — existing v3 integrations keep working and do not need to migrate.

## Tool-endpoint version defaults on v3.1

On v3.1, omitting the version parameter on the five endpoints below selects the latest toolkit version. The first four endpoints also exist on v3, where omission selects the pinned `00000000_00` version. `POST /tools/scopes/required` is v3.1-only.

| Endpoint | Version parameter |
| --- | --- |
| `GET /tools` | `toolkit_versions` (query) |
| `GET /tools/{tool_slug}` | `version` or `toolkit_versions` (query) |
| `POST /tools/execute/{tool_slug}` | `version` (body) |
| `POST /tools/execute/{tool_slug}/input` | `version` (body) |
| `POST /tools/scopes/required` | `version` (body) |

A v3.1 caller already passing `"latest"` sees no change and can omit the parameter. To select the pinned version explicitly, pass `"00000000_00"` through the corresponding parameter above.

This version-default change is limited to the five endpoints above.


---

## Terminology Migration (old → current)

If you encounter these terms in error messages, old documentation, or user prompts, translate them to the current equivalents. **Do not use the old terms in generated code or explanations.**

| Old term (v1/v2) | Current term (v3) | In code |
|---|---|---|
| entity ID | user ID | `user_id` parameter |
| actions | tools | e.g., `GITHUB_CREATE_ISSUE` is a *tool* |
| apps / appType | toolkits | e.g., `github` is a *toolkit* |
| integration / integration ID | auth config / auth config ID | `auth_config_id` parameter |
| connection | connected account | `connected_accounts` namespace |
| ComposioToolSet / OpenAIToolSet | `Composio` class with a provider | `Composio(provider=...)` |
| toolset | provider | e.g., `OpenAIProvider` |

If a user says "entity ID", they mean `user_id`. If they say "integration", they mean "auth config". Always respond using the current terminology.