Edgehalla

Private ESPN league guide

How to Find Your espn_s2 and SWID Cookies

The easiest way into a private ESPN league needs no cookies: your league manager makes the league viewable. Otherwise, sign in at espn.com on a desktop browser, press F12, open Application (or Storage), then Cookies, and copy espn_s2 and SWID. It takes about a minute.

Three ways to connect a private ESPN league

  • Easiest: make the league viewable

    Your league manager turns on “Make league viewable to public” in the ESPN league settings. Edgehalla then reads the league with just its ID, and no cookies are needed.

  • Coming soon: the Edgehalla extension

    A Chrome and Edge extension that fills in espn_s2 and SWID for you with one click. It is coming soon to the Chrome Web Store.

  • Any time: copy two cookies

    Copy espn_s2 and SWID from a desktop browser and paste them into Edgehalla. The paste box finds both values in whatever you copy.

Skip the cookies: make your ESPN league viewable

If you are the league manager, or can ask yours, this is the quickest route. It works from the ESPN website on any device.

  1. Step 1: Open the league settings

    Your league manager (the commissioner) signs in on the ESPN website, opens the league, then goes to the League tab › Settings.

  2. Step 2: Edit Basic Settings

    Under Basic Settings, click Edit Basic Settings.

  3. Step 3: Make it viewable to the public

    Set “Make league viewable to public” to Yes and click Save. Then find the league again on Edgehalla with just its ID.

What viewable changes, and what it doesn’t

  • Viewable is not joinable. Anyone with a direct link can view league pages, but nobody can join the league.
  • The team manager list and the message board stay hidden.
  • Only the league manager can change this setting, and it can be switched back at any time.

Coming soon: fill in espn_s2 and SWID with one click

The Edgehalla browser extension for Chrome and Edge reads espn_s2 and SWID from your ESPN sign-in and fills them into Settings › Leagues with one click. There is nothing to find or copy.

It is coming soon to the Chrome Web Store. Until then, make the league viewable or copy the two values by hand with the steps below.

What are espn_s2 and SWID?

espn_s2 and SWID are two cookies ESPN saves in your browser when you sign in. espn_s2 is a long login token, often a few hundred characters; SWID is your account ID, about 38 characters including its curly braces.

A private ESPN fantasy league only opens for its members, so any outside tool that reads one needs both values. A public or viewable league needs neither: its league ID is enough.

Both cookies are marked HttpOnly, so web pages and bookmarklets cannot read them. Only your browser’s developer tools or a browser extension can.

How to find espn_s2 and SWID, step by step

You need a desktop or laptop browser: phone browsers and the ESPN app don’t show cookies.

  1. Step 1: Sign in at espn.com

    Use a desktop browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari) and sign in to the ESPN account that belongs to the league. Open your league page so the cookies are fresh.

  2. Step 2: Open the developer tools

    Press F12 (or Cmd+Option+I on a Mac). In Safari, turn on the Develop menu in Settings › Advanced first.

  3. Step 3: Find the cookies

    Open Application (Chrome, Edge) or Storage (Firefox, Safari), expand Cookies and select the espn.com entry (www.espn.com or fantasy.espn.com).

  4. Step 4: Copy espn_s2 and SWID

    Type espn_s2 in the filter box and copy its full value, then do the same for SWID. espn_s2 is a long string of a few hundred characters; SWID looks like {XXXXXXXX-XXXX-…} and the curly braces are part of it.

  5. Step 5: Paste them into Edgehalla

    Paste into the box in Settings › Leagues: the two values, the cookie rows or the whole cookie list. Edgehalla finds espn_s2 and SWID and checks off each one. If you later sign out of ESPN everywhere or change your password, paste fresh values.

Where the cookies are in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari

  • Chrome and Edge

    F12 › Application tab › Storage › Cookies › https://fantasy.espn.com (or www.espn.com). Filter by espn_s2, then by SWID.

  • Firefox

    F12 › Storage tab › Cookies › https://fantasy.espn.com. Double-click the Value cell to select it, then copy.

  • Safari

    Settings › Advanced › Show features for web developers. Then Develop › Show Web Inspector › Storage › Cookies.

espn_s2 not working? Check these first

  • Keep the braces on SWID

    SWID includes its curly braces, { and }. Edgehalla adds them if they are missing, but copy the value exactly as shown when you can.

  • Copy the whole espn_s2

    espn_s2 is long and easy to cut short. Select the full value cell rather than dragging across it.

  • Use the right account

    The cookies belong to whoever is signed in. Sign in with the ESPN account that is a member of the league.

  • Refresh after a sign-out

    Signing out of ESPN on every device or changing your password ends the old cookies. Copy new values and paste them again.

Connect your private ESPN fantasy hockey league

Open Settings › Leagues on Edgehalla, choose ESPN and paste your league URL or ID. If the league is private, paste whatever you copied into the cookie box: the two values, the cookie rows or the whole cookie list. Edgehalla picks out espn_s2 and SWID, and your weekly dashboard fills in with ESPN fantasy hockey projections for your matchup, free.

How we handle your cookies

  • espn_s2 and SWID are stored encrypted.
  • They are used only to read your league: rosters, settings, matchups and scores.
  • Edgehalla never makes moves, trades or lineup changes on ESPN.
  • Remove the connection in Settings › Leagues whenever you like.
Connect a private ESPN league

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espn_s2 and SWID FAQ

What is the espn_s2 cookie?

espn_s2 is a login cookie ESPN stores in your browser after you sign in. Fantasy tools use it, together with SWID, to read a private ESPN league as you.

What is SWID on ESPN?

SWID is your ESPN account identifier, stored as a cookie. It looks like {XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}, and the curly braces are part of the value.

How do I find espn_s2 in Chrome?

Sign in at espn.com, press F12, open the Application tab, expand Cookies, select the espn.com entry and type espn_s2 in the filter box. Copy the full value, then repeat for SWID.

Can I find espn_s2 on my phone?

No. Mobile browsers and the ESPN app do not show cookies, so use a desktop or laptop browser. No computer handy? Ask your league manager to make the league viewable to the public, and no cookies are needed.

Can I skip espn_s2 and SWID for a private league?

Yes, if your league manager makes the league viewable: League › Settings › Basic Settings › Edit Basic Settings, then set “Make league viewable to public” to Yes. Edgehalla reads it with just the league ID. It does not make the league joinable.

Do I need espn_s2 for a public ESPN league?

No. A public ESPN league connects with just the league ID. The two cookies are only needed when the league is private.

How long do espn_s2 and SWID last?

They usually keep working until you sign out of ESPN on every device or change your password. If a private league stops syncing, copy fresh values.

Why is my espn_s2 not working?

The usual causes are a value that was cut short, a SWID missing its curly braces, cookies from an account that is not in the league, or cookies that expired after a sign-out. Copy both values again from a fresh sign-in.

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