diff --git a/src/screens/SettingsScreen.tsx b/src/screens/SettingsScreen.tsx
index 34872fd..433e201 100644
--- a/src/screens/SettingsScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/SettingsScreen.tsx
@@ -1,34 +1,70 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
-import { View, Text, TextInput, StyleSheet, Switch, TouchableOpacity, Alert, ScrollView } from 'react-native';
+import {
+  View, Text, TextInput, StyleSheet, Switch,
+  TouchableOpacity, Alert, ScrollView, ActivityIndicator,
+} from 'react-native';
 import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
+import { login, logout, loadAuthState } from '../services/auth';
 
 export function SettingsScreen() {
   const [instanceUrl, setInstanceUrl] = useState('');
-  const [apiToken, setApiToken] = useState('');
+  const [handle, setHandle] = useState('');
+  const [password, setPassword] = useState('');
+  const [connectedAs, setConnectedAs] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [connecting, setConnecting] = useState(false);
   const [kmNotifications, setKmNotifications] = useState(true);
-  const [saved, setSaved] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     (async () => {
-      const [url, token, km] = await Promise.all([
-        AsyncStorage.getItem('instanceUrl'),
-        AsyncStorage.getItem('apiToken'),
+      const [auth, km] = await Promise.all([
+        loadAuthState(),
         AsyncStorage.getItem('kmNotifications'),
       ]);
-      if (url) setInstanceUrl(url);
-      if (token) setApiToken(token);
+      if (auth) {
+        setInstanceUrl(auth.instanceUrl);
+        setHandle(auth.handle);
+        setConnectedAs(auth.handle);
+      }
       if (km !== null) setKmNotifications(km === 'true');
     })();
   }, []);
 
-  async function handleSave() {
-    await Promise.all([
-      AsyncStorage.setItem('instanceUrl', instanceUrl.trim()),
-      AsyncStorage.setItem('apiToken', apiToken.trim()),
-      AsyncStorage.setItem('kmNotifications', String(kmNotifications)),
+  async function handleConnect() {
+    if (!instanceUrl.trim()) { Alert.alert('Required', 'Enter the instance URL.'); return; }
+    if (!handle.trim()) { Alert.alert('Required', 'Enter your handle.'); return; }
+    if (!password) { Alert.alert('Required', 'Enter your password.'); return; }
+
+    setConnecting(true);
+    const result = await login(instanceUrl.trim(), handle.trim(), password);
+    setConnecting(false);
+
+    if (result.ok) {
+      setConnectedAs(result.displayName || handle.trim());
+      setPassword('');
+    } else {
+      Alert.alert('Login failed', result.error ?? 'Unknown error');
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function handleDisconnect() {
+    Alert.alert('Disconnect', 'Remove saved credentials?', [
+      { text: 'Cancel', style: 'cancel' },
+      {
+        text: 'Disconnect',
+        style: 'destructive',
+        onPress: async () => {
+          await logout();
+          setConnectedAs(null);
+          setHandle('');
+          setPassword('');
+        },
+      },
     ]);
-    setSaved(true);
-    setTimeout(() => setSaved(false), 2000);
+  }
+
+  async function handleKmToggle(value: boolean) {
+    setKmNotifications(value);
+    await AsyncStorage.setItem('kmNotifications', String(value));
   }
 
   return (
@@ -44,29 +80,64 @@ export function SettingsScreen() {
         placeholderTextColor="#555"
         autoCapitalize="none"
         keyboardType="url"
+        editable={!connectedAs}
       />
 
-      <Text style={styles.label}>API Token</Text>
-      <TextInput
-        style={styles.input}
-        value={apiToken}
-        onChangeText={setApiToken}
-        placeholder="your-api-token"
-        placeholderTextColor="#555"
-        autoCapitalize="none"
-        secureTextEntry
-      />
+      {connectedAs ? (
+        <View style={styles.connectedBox}>
+          <View>
+            <Text style={styles.connectedLabel}>Connected</Text>
+            <Text style={styles.connectedName}>{connectedAs}</Text>
+          </View>
+          <TouchableOpacity style={styles.disconnectBtn} onPress={handleDisconnect}>
+            <Text style={styles.disconnectBtnText}>Disconnect</Text>
+          </TouchableOpacity>
+        </View>
+      ) : (
+        <>
+          <Text style={styles.label}>Handle</Text>
+          <TextInput
+            style={styles.input}
+            value={handle}
+            onChangeText={setHandle}
+            placeholder="your-handle"
+            placeholderTextColor="#555"
+            autoCapitalize="none"
+            autoCorrect={false}
+          />
+
+          <Text style={styles.label}>Password</Text>
+          <TextInput
+            style={styles.input}
+            value={password}
+            onChangeText={setPassword}
+            placeholder="••••••••"
+            placeholderTextColor="#555"
+            secureTextEntry
+          />
+
+          <Text style={styles.hint}>
+            Your password is used once to obtain a session token, then forgotten.
+          </Text>
+
+          <TouchableOpacity
+            style={[styles.connectBtn, connecting && styles.connectBtnDisabled]}
+            onPress={handleConnect}
+            disabled={connecting}
+          >
+            {connecting
+              ? <ActivityIndicator color="#fff" />
+              : <Text style={styles.connectBtnText}>Connect</Text>}
+          </TouchableOpacity>
+        </>
+      )}
 
       <Text style={styles.sectionTitle}>Notifications</Text>
 
       <View style={styles.row}>
         <Text style={styles.rowLabel}>Kilometre alerts</Text>
-        <Switch value={kmNotifications} onValueChange={setKmNotifications} trackColor={{ true: '#3b82f6' }} />
+        <Switch value={kmNotifications} onValueChange={handleKmToggle} trackColor={{ true: '#3b82f6' }} />
       </View>
-
-      <TouchableOpacity style={styles.saveBtn} onPress={handleSave}>
-        <Text style={styles.saveBtnText}>{saved ? 'Saved ✓' : 'Save'}</Text>
-      </TouchableOpacity>
     </ScrollView>
   );
 }
@@ -77,8 +148,15 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
   sectionTitle: { color: '#888', fontSize: 13, textTransform: 'uppercase', letterSpacing: 0.8, marginTop: 16 },
   label: { color: '#aaa', fontSize: 14, marginBottom: 4 },
   input: { backgroundColor: '#1e1e1e', color: '#fff', borderRadius: 10, padding: 14, fontSize: 16 },
+  hint: { color: '#555', fontSize: 13, lineHeight: 18 },
+  connectedBox: { flexDirection: 'row', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'space-between', backgroundColor: '#1e1e1e', borderRadius: 10, padding: 14 },
+  connectedLabel: { color: '#22c55e', fontSize: 12, textTransform: 'uppercase', letterSpacing: 0.6 },
+  connectedName: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 16, fontWeight: '600', marginTop: 2 },
+  disconnectBtn: { paddingVertical: 6, paddingHorizontal: 12, borderRadius: 8, borderWidth: 1, borderColor: '#ef4444' },
+  disconnectBtnText: { color: '#ef4444', fontWeight: '600' },
+  connectBtn: { backgroundColor: '#3b82f6', borderRadius: 12, padding: 16, alignItems: 'center', marginTop: 4 },
+  connectBtnDisabled: { opacity: 0.6 },
+  connectBtnText: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 16, fontWeight: '700' },
   row: { flexDirection: 'row', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'space-between', backgroundColor: '#1e1e1e', borderRadius: 10, padding: 14 },
   rowLabel: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 16 },
-  saveBtn: { backgroundColor: '#3b82f6', borderRadius: 12, padding: 16, alignItems: 'center', marginTop: 8 },
-  saveBtnText: { color: '#fff', fontSize: 16, fontWeight: '700' },
 });
diff --git a/src/services/auth.ts b/src/services/auth.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e955c7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/auth.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
+
+interface LoginResult {
+  ok: boolean;
+  displayName?: string;
+  error?: string;
+}
+
+export async function login(
+  instanceUrl: string,
+  handle: string,
+  password: string,
+): Promise<LoginResult> {
+  const url = instanceUrl.replace(/\/$/, '') + '/api/auth/token';
+  try {
+    const resp = await fetch(url, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ handle, password }),
+    });
+
+    if (!resp.ok) {
+      const text = await resp.text().catch(() => '');
+      return { ok: false, error: text || `HTTP ${resp.status}` };
+    }
+
+    const data = await resp.json();
+    if (!data.token) return { ok: false, error: 'No token in response' };
+
+    await Promise.all([
+      AsyncStorage.setItem('instanceUrl', instanceUrl.trim()),
+      AsyncStorage.setItem('handle', handle.trim()),
+      AsyncStorage.setItem('apiToken', data.token),
+    ]);
+
+    return { ok: true, displayName: data.display_name };
+  } catch (e: any) {
+    return { ok: false, error: e?.message ?? 'Connection failed' };
+  }
+}
+
+export async function logout(): Promise<void> {
+  await Promise.all([
+    AsyncStorage.removeItem('instanceUrl'),
+    AsyncStorage.removeItem('handle'),
+    AsyncStorage.removeItem('apiToken'),
+  ]);
+}
+
+export interface AuthState {
+  instanceUrl: string;
+  handle: string;
+  apiToken: string;
+}
+
+export async function loadAuthState(): Promise<AuthState | null> {
+  const [instanceUrl, handle, apiToken] = await Promise.all([
+    AsyncStorage.getItem('instanceUrl'),
+    AsyncStorage.getItem('handle'),
+    AsyncStorage.getItem('apiToken'),
+  ]);
+  if (!instanceUrl || !apiToken) return null;
+  return { instanceUrl, handle: handle ?? '', apiToken };
+}