---
title: startSession()
framework: secureelementcredential
role: symbol
role_heading: Type Method
path: secureelementcredential/credentialsession/startsession()
---

# startSession()

Requests a session to view, manage, or use credentials in the Secure Element.

## Declaration

```swift
static func startSession() async throws -> CredentialSession
```

## Mentioned in

Accessing and using secure element credentials

## Discussion

Discussion To start a session from an app, the app needs to be in the foreground. Apps and app extensions that create credential sessions must have the  com.apple.developer.secure-element-credential entitlement. If your app or app extension lacks this entitlement, calls to SecureElementCredential APIs raise fatalError(_:file:line:). If you want to make your app or app extension eligible to be the system’s default contactless app, you need the com.apple.developer.secure-element-credential.default-contactless-app entitlement as well. note: If your app extension is an identity credential provider, use Digital Credentials API - Mobile Document Provider to include your mobile document provider app extension in the picker when someone using the device receives a web request to present their provisioned identity credential. See Implementing as an identity document provider for more information about using this entitlement. This method is asynchronous, which requires that you call it with the await keyword. When the system is ready to provide the session resource, the following events occur: The person using the app receives a GDPR privacy information sheet. The first time the app tries to access a credential session, the person using the app receives an alert to allow usage of the Secure Element. If they accept, the session proceeds normally. If they decline, the session invalidates and new sessions for this app fail immediately. To create a valid session, the person using the app needs to allow Secure Element access for the app in Settings. Sessions start in the CredentialSession.State.management state. An app can have only one active session at a time. When your app no longer needs the credential session, call invalidate(). If your app goes into the background, the system automatically invalidates your session after a short delay.

## See Also

### Managing the credential session life cycle

- [invalidate()](secureelementcredential/credentialsession/invalidate().md)