Log in vs. Login: Which to Use? (Your Best Guide)

The confusion between Log in and Login comes from their similar spelling and pronunciation. Many people use them interchangeably, but there are important differences in their usage and meaning. 

Log in phrasal verb – to enter your username and password to access a computer system or website.
– “I need to log in to my email account.”
Login noun – credentials (username and password) used to gain access to a computer system or website.
– “I forgot my login and can’t access my account.”

In the blog post, we will explain the differences in meaning and usage between Log in and Login and give you lots of real examples. Plus some tips for proper usage to help you avoid common mistakes and misunderstandings. By the end of the post, you will have a solid understanding of the correct usage of both terms and be able to communicate more effectively.

Log in Vs. Login – Meaning

Log in is a phrasal verb that means to enter your username and password in order to access a computer system, website, or application. It usually involves filling out a form with your credentials and clicking a button to submit them.

  • This website is very slow, it takes 15 minutes just to log in

  • Can you help me figure out how to log in to the school’s online learning platform? I’m having trouble.

  • The website requires you to log in before you can access any of its content.

Login is a noun that means the credentials (username and password) used to gain access to a computer system or website.

  • Please make sure you enter the correct login credentials before attempting to access the system.

  • My login wasn’t working, so I had to reset my password.

  • The website’s login page had a security feature that required users to enter a verification code.
Sometimes I mistakenly type login as one word when I’m using the phrasal verb version. My digital writing assistant Grammarly helps me catch these simple mistakes to make sure my writing is on point every time. It can help you too.

Log in Vs. Login – Verb Phrase Vs. Noun

Log in Vs. Login - Verb Phrase Vs. Noun

Understanding the key differences in grammar between using a verb and a noun will be helpful for us to use these words correctly.

#1 – How they function: A verb is a word used to describe an action, occurrence, or state of being.
A noun is a word used to name a person, place, thing, or idea.

#2 – Conjugation: Verbs are conjugated to show tense (Past present, and future), person (First person, second person), and number (one person or multiple people).

Nouns generally do not change form in English (except for pluralization and possessive forms).

The table below shows 14 different ways we can conjugate the phrasal verb log in

Verb TenseConjugationExample Sentence
Infinitiveto log inTo log in to the website, enter your username and password.
Present Simplelog inI log in to my computer every morning at 7:00 and start writing.
Present Simple – 3rd person singularlogs inPedro logs in to his computer before he starts work.
Present Continuousam/is/are logging inShe is logging in to the system right now.
Present Perfecthave/has logged inThey have logged in to their email accounts multiple times today.
Present Perfect Continuoushave/has been logging inHe has been logging in and out of the network for the past hour.
Past Simplelogged inShe logged in to the website yesterday afternoon.
Past Continuouswas/were logging inWe were logging in to the system when the power went out.
Past Perfecthad logged inHe had already logged in by the time the technician arrived.
Past Perfect Continuoushad been logging inThousands of users had been logging in and out of the system for several hours. This caused an issue with the server.
Future Simplewill log inI will log in to the website later to check my messages.
Future Continuouswill be logging inThe service team will be logging in to the network tonight after hours to test security.
Future Perfectwill have logged inBy tomorrow, I will have successfully logged in to the system multiple times.
Future Perfect Continuouswill have been logging inOur team members will have been logging in and out of the network multiple times by the end of the meeting.

The phrasal verb LOG IN is often used with other prepositions. Learn more at my blog post –  Prepositions TO, INTO or IN TO? (Intermediate English)

LOG IN – Origin

The terms Log in and Login have their origins in the early days of computing, particularly in the development of time-sharing systems in the 1960s.

In these early systems, users would have to physically log in to a terminal using a username and password to gain access to a shared computer system. This process was known as “logging in” because it involved recording the user’s activities on the computer system.

The verb log means: to put information in an official record or write a record of events SOURCE

As computing became more widespread in the 1980s and 1990s, the term “Login” began to gain popularity as a way to describe the credentials used to gain access to a computer system or website. 

Logging In Around the World

Log in Vs. Login Logging In Around the World

In other parts of the world, particularly in non-English speaking countries, the use of these terms may vary. For example, in French, the term “connexion” is often used instead of “Log in” or “Login”. In Spanish, the term “inicio de sesión” is commonly used to describe the login process.

For my French and Spanish-speaking audience, is the above information correct? Is there a more natural way to say log in in your language? Please tell me in the comments

In Japan, the noun form of login is spoken in a very similar way, the word ログイン (roguin) is written in a Japanese alphabet used specifically for foreign words.

The verb form is made by adding a basic verb form ending する to the word ログイン. The noun becomes a verb – ログインする.

Tips for using Log in and Login Correctly

Tips for using Log in and Login Correctly

In writing, the basic difference is the space between the words log and in. A space means you’re using the phrasal verb form. If login is written as one word, no space, it’s a noun

Here are some tips for using Log in and Login Correctly.

Use Log in as a verb when describing the action of gaining access to a computer system or website by entering your username and password.

Use Login as a noun when referring to the credentials required to gain access to a computer system or website.

You will often see login as part of a noun phrase where it is acting as an adjective. Below is a list of collocations of the noun login with example sentences. 

Login credentials: Refers to the information (such as a username and password) that a user needs to provide in order to gain access to a particular system or application.

  • I can’t log in without my login credentials, which consist of my username and password.

Login page: The page on a website or application where a user enters their login credentials to gain access to the system.

  • The login page is where you’ll need to enter your email address and password to access your account.

Login process: The sequence of steps that a user must go through in order to successfully log in to a system or application.

  • The login process requires you to enter your username and password, and then click on the “Log In” button.

Login session: The period of time during which a user remains logged in to a system or application.

  • Your login session will expire after 30 minutes of inactivity, at which point you’ll need to log in again.

Login screen: The initial screen displayed when a user attempts to access a system or application, prompting them to enter their login credentials.

  • The login screen looks different now than it did last week, because we updated our website’s design.

Login history: A record of previous login sessions for a particular user or account.

  • Your login history shows that someone tried to access your account from a different country last night.

Login attempt: A single instance of attempting to log in to a system or application.

  • I made several failed login attempts before I realized I was typing in my old password.

Log In Vs. Login – Frequently Asked Questions

Log In Vs. Login - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the opposite of log in?

The opposite of log in is log out. Log off is also possible. 

Are log on and sign in interchangeable with log in?

Yes, log on and sign in can be used interchangeably with log in as they all refer to the action of entering a username and password to gain access to a computer system or website.

Log in Vs. Login – Conclusion

The key to using these terms correctly is all about the space between LOG and IN.
LOG IN, two words is a verb.
LOGIN, one word is a noun. 

Use the information presented in this blog post, the grammar outlines, and the verb conjugation table to make sure you are using the correct version in all your written communications. 

Writing the correct version shows that you have English knowledge and can help build trust with the people you are communicating with. (It can also help you avoid appearing unprofessional or careless.)

Check out these other Confusing English posts

Thanks to storyset.com a division of freepik.com for the great images. Images that were used in this post are linked below.

User illustrations by Storyset
Online illustrations by Storyset
Phone illustrations by Storyset
Business illustrations by Storyset
People illustrations by Storyset

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