7 Ways to Get User ID in WordPress

In this tutorial I’m describing the 7 ways of getting the user IDs in WordPress. Each way is good for a different situation.

1. In User Profile URL #

This is very simple decision, but it also have some disadvantages. First – you should be logged in, second – you can not obtain the id of your own user.

So:

Log into your WordPress admin
Go to Users > All users
Choose the user and go to his profile
Look at the URL of the page:

2. Add the User ID column to the WordPress Users Table #

Very useful way of getting user ids through WordPress admin. Here is the result:

How to create the same column on you own WordPress website? All you need to do is to copy the following code to you current theme functions.php file:

/*
 * Adding the column
 */
function rd_user_id_column( $columns ) {
	$columns['user_id'] = 'ID';
	return $columns;
}
add_filter('manage_users_columns', 'rd_user_id_column');
 
/*
 * Column content
 */
function rd_user_id_column_content($value, $column_name, $user_id) {
	if ( 'user_id' == $column_name )
		return $user_id;
	return $value;
}
add_action('manage_users_custom_column',  'rd_user_id_column_content', 10, 3);
 
/*
 * Column style (you can skip this if you want)
 */
function rd_user_id_column_style(){
	echo '<style>.column-user_id{width: 5%}</style>';
}
add_action('admin_head-users.php',  'rd_user_id_column_style');

3. How to Get User ID by Email? #

Simple enough. Just use get_user_by() function.

$the_user = get_user_by('email', 'misha@rudrastyh.com');
$the_user_id = $the_user->ID;

4. Get User ID by Username (login name) #

In the following example the second parameter «rudrastyh» is the username.

$the_user = get_user_by('login', 'rudrastyh');
$the_user_id = $the_user->ID;

5. Get User ID by First Name or by Last Name #

Print the ids of all users with the first name is «Misha»:

global $wpdb;
$users = $wpdb->get_results( "SELECT user_id FROM $wpdb->usermeta WHERE meta_key = 'first_name' AND meta_value = 'Misha'" );
if( $users ) {
	foreach ( $users as $user ) {
		echo '<p>' . $user->user_id . '</p>';
	}
} else {
	echo 'There are no users with the specified first name.';
}

Print the ids of all users with the last name is «Rudrastyh»:

global $wpdb;
$users = $wpdb->get_results( "SELECT user_id FROM $wpdb->usermeta WHERE meta_key = 'first_name' AND meta_value = 'Rudrastyh'" );
if( $users ) {
	foreach ( $users as $user ) {
		echo '<p>' . $user->user_id . '</p>';
	}
} else {
	echo 'There are no users with the specified last name.';
}

6. How to Get the Post Author ID? #

In this case you can get the user ID from WP_Post object. It’s simple.

$my_post = get_post( $id ); // $id - Post ID
echo $my_post->post_author; // print post author ID

7. Current User ID #

Let’s get the currently logged in user ID:

$current_user_id = get_current_user_id();

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add_action( 'admin_menu', 'register_admin_page' ); function register_admin_page(){ add_menu_page( 'bla bla bla', 'bla bla bla', 'edit_posts', 'bla bla bla', 'admin_page', $icon_url, $position ); } function admin_page(){ // I can access get_current_user_id() here... }

session_start(); if(!isset($_SESSION["username"])) { $the_user = get_user_by('email', 'something@something.com'); $the_user_id = $username->ID; header('Location: something_sales_login.php'); exit; }

function add_userid_to_members_loop() { $bp = buddypress(); $id = !empty( $bp->displayed_user->id ) ? $bp->displayed_user->id : 0; echo $id; add_action('bp_directory_members_item', 'add_userid_to_members_loop');

function add_userid_to_members_loop($value, $column_name, $user_id) { if ( 'user_id' == $column_name ) return $user_id; return $value; } add_action('bp_directory_members_item', 'add_userid_to_members_loop', 10, 3);

Faizan •March 10, 2014 at 02:59

Hi!

The last method you told i.e. using get_current_user_id() doesn’t work when I use it outside admin_page function. Let me show you an example:

here outside, get_current_user_id() returns 0 . Can you explain me why? Or is there any file I forgot to include/require which declares get_current_user_id() for me. By the way I’ve tried including wp-includes/user.php where the function resides currently..

Arjan •February 7, 2015 at 07:38

I have a login area on one of my pages, where users can login.
i would to receive an email, if and which user uses the login pages.

i am trying to GET USER ID BY EMAIL, but i cant get it to work.

here is the code I use in the secure page..

session_start();
if(!isset($_SESSION["username"]))
{
   header('Location: something_sales_login.php');
   exit;
}

i tried to get it to work, the most logical i think would be…

session_start();
if(!isset($_SESSION["username"]))
{
      $the_user = get_user_by('email', 'something@something.com');
      $the_user_id = $username-&gt;ID;
   header('Location: something_sales_login.php');
   exit;
 
}

i cant get the email to send. I hope anybody will have a solution.

balram •April 14, 2015 at 14:12

thanks

Eiyu •January 12, 2016 at 01:00

How code to display user ID for per user in buddypress members dictory page?
My code, but it didnot working.

MishaAuthor •January 12, 2016 at 03:51

Did you forget about } on line 6?

- Eiyu •January 12, 2016 at 04:43
  i insert
  }
  but it isnot still working.
  
  I try use a your code and edit it as bellow
  function add_userid_to_members_loop($value, $column_name, $user_id) { if ( 'user_id' == $column_name ) return $user_id; return $value; } add_action('bp_directory_members_item', 'add_userid_to_members_loop', 10, 3);
  But it isnot still work.
  - MishaAuthor •January 13, 2016 at 02:55
    
    In your first code try to replace echo $id; with echo 'test';. Is it work then?

Fredskov •April 25, 2016 at 06:54

Currently trying to fetch a user ID in the footer.php of my theme. But it doesn’t seem to grab any data.
Any clues as for why? :)

<?php if( is_user_logged_in() ): ?>
        <a href="<?php get_current_user_id(); ?>">Link text</a>
        // some more HTML
      <?php else: ?>
       // alternative HTML
      <?php endif; ?>

MishaAuthor •April 26, 2016 at 09:56
Hello :)
you forgot about echo(), so it would be:
echo get_current_user_id();
- Fredskov •April 26, 2016 at 11:00
  
  I’m a moron for forgetting that – THANKS!

Bruno •July 30, 2016 at 18:48

Hi,

Is there a way to append the registered username or ID to the destination URL after someone clicks on an affiliate link?

For example:

Let’s say a person registers on my wordpress site with the following username: usertest

The original affiliate link is: example.com/MjswO0JSOzM7OzA.html?mdasc=

When users click the final URL will be: example.com/MjswO0JSOzM7OzA.html?mdasc=usertest

I want all registered users to be added to the affiliate destination URL dynamically after clicking on any affiliate link. Is it possible?

Regards,
Bruno.

MishaAuthor •July 30, 2016 at 22:30
Hi Bruno,

I hope it helps:
$user = get_user_by( 'id', get_current_user_id() ); echo 'example.com/MjswO0JSOzM7OzA.html?mdasc=' . $user->user_login;
- Bruno •July 31, 2016 at 19:24
  
  Hi Misha,
  
  Thank you very much for the fast reply. However, I don’t know where to use this code. Where do I add it?
  
  Regards,
  Bruno.
  
  - MishaAuthor •August 1, 2016 at 04:34
    
    Hi Bruno,
    I think it should be placed where your affiliate links are.

krystina •October 12, 2016 at 21:38

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Verna •November 16, 2016 at 06:30

I used the code to add a column with the ID# in the user list. I got the column but the ID# did not populate. Ideas?

MishaAuthor •November 16, 2016 at 16:25

Hello,

if you use the code from this post properly, everything should be OK.

- Verna •November 16, 2016 at 21:34
  
  I didn’t do anything to the code other than paste it into the file you suggested. Like I said, The column was added to the customer list … but no id numbers were listed.
  
  - MishaAuthor •November 17, 2016 at 08:37
    
    I’ve just tested the code on my own website and it works perfectly.
    
    Can you contact me by email? – so I will try to help you.