User identification signals in a React Native app
Identification signals tell Connect who is using your app. When a user registers or signs in, the Connect SDK sends an identifier — such as a customer ID or email address — and Connect uses it to match the app session to an existing contact or create a new one automatically. Once the contact is known, marketers can target push notifications and attribute the rest of the session to that contact's profile.
Language: TypeScript and JavaScript
Availability: Pro, Premium, and Ultimate
Requires: Connect React Native SDK version 19.0.9
Available signals
The following identification signals are available in the Connect React Native SDK.
| Signal | Description |
|---|---|
accountRegistered | Captures when a new user completes registration |
loggedIn | Captures when an existing user signs in |
Both signals are sent through the same bridge method, logIdentity(), not logCustomEvent(). Behavior is identical on iOS and Android.
Prerequisites
The Connect SDK must be initialized before sending any signals. It auto-initializes at module load, provided ConnectConfig.json is configured and the <Connect> wrapper is in place. For setup instructions, see Integrate the Connect library into a React Native app or Integrate the Connect SDK into an Expo app.
Implementation
Each signal type has its own how-to guide with required fields, code examples, and implementation guidance:
Important considerations
Choosing an identifier
Use the most stable identifier available:
- Customer ID (preferred) — if your Connect audience has a contact key attribute, use it. Note that a contact key alone cannot create a new contact — if no matching contact exists and the only identifier is a contact key, the signal is discarded. Use email address or phone number as a fallback for new users.
- Email address or phone number — both are standard contact attributes in Connect and work well when no customer ID is available.
The identifierName parameter must match a contact attribute name exactly as it appears in Connect, including capitalization and spacing. To look up attribute names, in Connect go to Audience > Contacts > Attributes.
When to call
Fire identification signals after the action is confirmed — not on form submit.
| Signal | When to call |
|---|---|
accountRegistered | After the account is successfully created |
loggedIn | After authentication is confirmed; also on app launch if the user is already signed in |
Verify signal capture
To confirm signals are flowing to Connect:
- Trigger a registration or sign-in flow in your app using a test account.
- Log in to your Connect subscription.
- Go to Audience > Contacts.
- On the All contacts tab, select the contact you used for testing.
- In the activity feed, check for the signals you triggered.
NoteThe activity feed displays the last 1000 signals or signals from the last 30 days. Newly added signals may take a few minutes to appear.