---
schema_version: "1"
id: 7733128b5021e45f84b457b64c485177137d095ce3467008da78487beaa551bc
title: $User
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/platform/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/guides/pages/variables/pages-variables-global-user.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/platform/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/guide/pages-variables-global-user.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 4c8bb16de0cb3a43bd752c8951358e75f26a67b20b1a4f3e6629207e303852c1
products:
  - Visualforce Developer Guide
  - Platform Developer Content
---

# $User

A global merge field type to use when referencing information about the current user. User merge fields can reference information about the user such as alias, title, and ID.

Most of the fields available on the [User standard object](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_user.htm) are also available on $User.

## Usage

Use dot notation to access the current user’s information. For example:

```visualforce
{!IF (CONTAINS($User.Alias, Smith) True, False)}
```

## Example

The following example displays the current user’s company name, as well as the status of the current user (which returns a Boolean value).

```visualforce
<apex:page>
  <h1>Congratulations</h1>
   This is your new Apex Page
   <p>The current company name for this 
      user is: {!$User.CompanyName}</p>
   <p>Is the user active?  
      {!$User.isActive}</p>
</apex:page>
```