---
title: "Sticky session"
url: https://proxy.wiki/glossary/sticky-session/
type: Glossary Term
author: "proxy.wiki editorial"
published: 2026-08-19
updated: 2026-08-19
site: proxy.wiki
topics: ["Proxy fundamentals"]
license: CC BY 4.0 — quote freely with attribution to https://proxy.wiki/
---

# Sticky session

> A setting that keeps the same exit address for a fixed period, so a multi-step flow appears to come from one user.

**A sticky session holds one [exit address](/glossary/exit-node/) for a defined duration instead of rotating.** Typical windows run from one minute to roughly thirty, depending on the provider.

## Why it exists

Many tasks are not a single request. Logging in, adding to a basket, paging through results, or completing a form all involve several requests that a server expects to originate from one client. If the address changes halfway through, the session looks implausible and may be discarded or challenged.

## How it is usually requested

Most providers accept a session identifier inside the proxy username, for example a field such as `session-abc123`. Requests carrying the same identifier are routed through the same address until the window expires. The exact syntax differs by provider.

## What it does not guarantee

Stickiness is best-effort. If the underlying address leaves the pool — a residential peer disconnects, for example — the session ends early and you receive a different address. Code that assumes a stable address for the full window will eventually be surprised, so detect the change rather than assume it cannot happen.

## Sources

1. [RFC 6265: HTTP State Management](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc6265.html)