diff --git a/packages/api/middleware/auth.ts b/packages/api/middleware/auth.ts
index 9f34d4b..a338b9a 100644
--- a/packages/api/middleware/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/api/middleware/auth.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ export const authCheck = async (
   next: NextFunction
 ) => {
   const { authorization } = req.headers;
-  console.log(authorization);
 
   try {
     const ticket = await client.verifyIdToken({
@@ -28,8 +27,6 @@ export const authCheck = async (
     res.locals.userId = userId;
     res.locals.email = email;
 
-    console.log(userId);
-
     next();
   } catch (error) {
     res.status(401).send("unauthorized");
diff --git a/packages/api/routes/user.ts b/packages/api/routes/user.ts
index d2f573f..e8123aa 100644
--- a/packages/api/routes/user.ts
+++ b/packages/api/routes/user.ts
@@ -61,10 +61,13 @@ async function getUserDetails(req: Request, res: Response) {
 
       // create user if not exists
       const insertResult = await UserService.createUserIfNotExists(newUser);
+      newUser._id = insertResult?.insertedId;
 
       insertResult
-        ? res.status(200).send("User created")
+        ? res.status(200).send(newUser)
         : res.status(500).send("Failed to create account, already exists");
+
+      return;
     }
 
     // otherwise, just return the user details
diff --git a/packages/desktop/package.json b/packages/desktop/package.json
index 95e841f..bbe7487 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/package.json
+++ b/packages/desktop/package.json
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@
     "react-dom": "^17.0.2",
     "react-icons": "^4.3.1",
     "react-query": "^3.34.16",
-    "react-router-dom": "^6.2.2"
+    "react-router-dom": "^6.2.2",
+    "recoil": "^0.6.1"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/controller/index.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/controller/index.tsx
index 5554a71..8b38319 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/controller/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/controller/index.tsx
@@ -1,16 +1,37 @@
 import { useMutation, useQuery } from "react-query";
 
+import { $authTokens } from "./recoil";
+import { User } from "@nirvana/core/models";
+import axios from "axios";
 import { nirvanaApi } from "./nirvanaApi";
 import { queryClient } from "../nirvanaApp";
+import { useRecoilValue } from "recoil";
 
 export enum Querytypes {
   GET_USER_DETAILS = "GET_USER_DETAILS",
 }
 
-export function useGetUserDetails() {
-  return useQuery(Querytypes.GET_USER_DETAILS, nirvanaApi.user.getUserDetails, {
-    retry: false,
+export const localHost = "http://localhost:5000/api";
+
+const getUserDetails = async (
+  accessToken: string,
+  idToken: string
+): Promise<User> => {
+  return await axios.get(localHost + `/users?access_token=${accessToken}`, {
+    headers: { Authorization: idToken },
   });
+};
+
+export function useGetUserDetails() {
+  const authTokens = useRecoilValue($authTokens);
+
+  return useQuery(
+    Querytypes.GET_USER_DETAILS,
+    () => getUserDetails(authTokens.accessToken, authTokens.idToken),
+    {
+      retry: false,
+    }
+  );
 }
 
 export function useCreateUser() {
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/controller/recoil.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/controller/recoil.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0b0aa81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/controller/recoil.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import { atom } from "recoil";
+
+export const $authTokens = atom<{
+  accessToken: string;
+  refreshToken: string;
+  idToken: string;
+}>({
+  key: "AUTH_TOKENS", // unique ID (with respect to other atoms/selectors)
+  default: null, // default value (aka initial value)
+});
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/electron/handleLogin.ts b/packages/desktop/src/electron/handleLogin.ts
index c1555d8..ce4a72a 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/electron/handleLogin.ts
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/electron/handleLogin.ts
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@ export async function handleLogin() {
 
   const tokens = await myApiOauth.openAuthWindowAndGetTokens();
 
-  console.log(tokens);
-
   store.set(STORE_ITEMS.AUTH_TOKENS, tokens);
 
   browserWindow.webContents.send(Channels.AUTH_TOKENS, tokens);
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/nirvanaApp.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/nirvanaApp.tsx
index 602061c..7bacdbd 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/nirvanaApp.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/nirvanaApp.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import Home from "./pages/Home";
 import Login from "./pages/Login";
 import ProtectedRoute from "./components/ProtectedRoute";
 import { ReactQueryDevtools } from "react-query/devtools";
+import { RecoilRoot } from "recoil";
 import testConnection from "@nirvana/core";
 
 testConnection();
@@ -16,23 +17,25 @@ function NirvanaApp() {
   return (
     <>
       <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
-        <HashRouter>
-          <Routes>
-            <Route path="/" element={<Login />} />
-            <Route
-              path="home"
-              element={
-                <ProtectedRoute>
-                  <Home />
-                </ProtectedRoute>
-              }
-            />
-            {/* <Route exact path="/profile/create" component={Sit} />
+        <RecoilRoot>
+          <HashRouter>
+            <Routes>
+              <Route path="/" element={<Login />} />
+              <Route
+                path="home"
+                element={
+                  <ProtectedRoute>
+                    <Home />
+                  </ProtectedRoute>
+                }
+              />
+              {/* <Route exact path="/profile/create" component={Sit} />
             <Route exact path="/profile/edit" component={Sit} /> */}
-          </Routes>
-        </HashRouter>
+            </Routes>
+          </HashRouter>
 
-        <ReactQueryDevtools initialIsOpen={false} />
+          <ReactQueryDevtools initialIsOpen={false} />
+        </RecoilRoot>
       </QueryClientProvider>
     </>
   );
diff --git a/packages/desktop/src/pages/Login/index.tsx b/packages/desktop/src/pages/Login/index.tsx
index 88248c6..3cfea2b 100644
--- a/packages/desktop/src/pages/Login/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/desktop/src/pages/Login/index.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 
+import { $authTokens } from "../../controller/recoil";
 import Channels from "../../electron/constants";
 import { CircularProgress } from "@mui/material";
 import { FcGoogle } from "react-icons/fc";
@@ -7,9 +8,11 @@ import Logo from "../../components/Logo";
 import { nirvanaApi } from "../../controller/nirvanaApi";
 import { useCreateUser } from "../../controller/index";
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
+import { useSetRecoilState } from "recoil";
 
 export default function Login() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const setAuthTokens = useSetRecoilState($authTokens);
 
   const continueAuth = () => {
     setIsLoading(true);
@@ -21,13 +24,14 @@ export default function Login() {
   useEffect(() => {
     window.electronAPI.auth.receiveTokens(
       Channels.AUTH_TOKENS,
-      async (tokens: any) => {
-        console.log(tokens);
-
+      (tokens: any) => {
         // todo: implement refresh token procedure in api layer by sending refresh_token and such
         const { access_token, id_token, refresh_token } = tokens;
-
-        nirvanaApi.setGoogleIdToken(id_token);
+        setAuthTokens({
+          accessToken: access_token,
+          idToken: id_token,
+          refreshToken: refresh_token,
+        });
 
         // now can go to home and get authenticated regardless of type of user
         navigate("/home");
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index b1f94a4..6d0206f 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -3871,6 +3871,11 @@ gtoken@^5.0.4:
     google-p12-pem "^3.1.3"
     jws "^4.0.0"
 
+hamt_plus@1.0.2:
+  version "1.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/hamt_plus/-/hamt_plus-1.0.2.tgz#e21c252968c7e33b20f6a1b094cd85787a265601"
+  integrity sha1-4hwlKWjH4zsg9qGwlM2FeHomVgE=
+
 handle-thing@^2.0.0:
   version "2.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/handle-thing/-/handle-thing-2.0.1.tgz"
@@ -6194,6 +6199,13 @@ readdirp@~3.6.0:
   dependencies:
     picomatch "^2.2.1"
 
+recoil@^0.6.1:
+  version "0.6.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/recoil/-/recoil-0.6.1.tgz#6fdf1ba6cb20b5a2e54ec4abcbdaa287e8a03fa2"
+  integrity sha512-J7oT3LZl2vpyFClgSUpOQjpykz84VSX/NJE/PavAtR8n7Z+whEdVBPUtwc2TEWjONeL/lJmiac2XQ+qEOQA52Q==
+  dependencies:
+    hamt_plus "1.0.2"
+
 regenerator-runtime@^0.13.4:
   version "0.13.9"
   resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/regenerator-runtime/-/regenerator-runtime-0.13.9.tgz"