diff --git a/lib/plugin/auth.js b/lib/plugin/auth.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dde08c846
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/plugin/auth.js
@@ -0,0 +1,435 @@
+const fs = require('fs')
+const path = require('path')
+const { fileExists } = require('../utils')
+const CommentStep = require('../step/comment')
+const Section = require('../step/section')
+const container = require('../container')
+const store = require('../store')
+const event = require('../event')
+const recorder = require('../recorder')
+const { debug } = require('../output')
+const { isAsyncFunction } = require('../utils')
+
+const defaultUser = {
+  fetch: I => I.grabCookie(),
+  check: () => {},
+  restore: (I, cookies) => {
+    I.amOnPage('/') // open a page
+    I.setCookie(cookies)
+  },
+}
+
+const defaultConfig = {
+  saveToFile: false,
+  inject: 'login',
+}
+
+/**
+ * Logs user in for the first test and reuses session for next tests.
+ * Works by saving cookies into memory or file.
+ * If a session expires automatically logs in again.
+ *
+ * > For better development experience cookies can be saved into file, so a session can be reused while writing tests.
+ *
+ * #### Usage
+ *
+ * 1. Enable this plugin and configure as described below
+ * 2. Define user session names (example: `user`, `editor`, `admin`, etc).
+ * 3. Define how users are logged in and how to check that user is logged in
+ * 4. Use `login` object inside your tests to log in:
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * // inside a test file
+ * // use login to inject auto-login function
+ * Feature('Login');
+ *
+ * Before(({ login }) => {
+ *    login('user'); // login using user session
+ * });
+ *
+ * // Alternatively log in for one scenario.
+ * Scenario('log me in', ( { I, login } ) => {
+ *    login('admin');
+ *    I.see('I am logged in');
+ * });
+ * ```
+ *
+ * #### Configuration
+ *
+ * * `saveToFile` (default: false) - save cookies to file. Allows to reuse session between execution.
+ * * `inject` (default: `login`) - name of the login function to use
+ * * `users` - an array containing different session names and functions to:
+ *    * `login` - sign in into the system
+ *     * `check` - check that user is logged in
+ *     * `fetch` - to get current cookies (by default `I.grabCookie()`)
+ *     * `restore` - to set cookies (by default `I.amOnPage('/'); I.setCookie(cookie)`)
+ *
+ * #### How It Works
+ *
+ * 1. `restore` method is executed. It should open a page and set credentials.
+ * 2. `check` method is executed. It should reload a page (so cookies are applied) and check that this page belongs to logged-in user. When you pass the second args `session`, you could perform the validation using passed session.
+ * 3. If `restore` and `check` were not successful, `login` is executed
+ * 4. `login` should fill in login form
+ * 5. After successful login, `fetch` is executed to save cookies into memory or file.
+ *
+ * #### Example: Simple login
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * auth: {
+ *   enabled: true,
+ *   saveToFile: true,
+ *   inject: 'login',
+ *   users: {
+ *     admin: {
+ *       // loginAdmin function is defined in `steps_file.js`
+ *       login: (I) => I.loginAdmin(),
+ *       // if we see `Admin` on page, we assume we are logged in
+ *       check: (I) => {
+ *          I.amOnPage('/');
+ *          I.see('Admin');
+ *       }
+ *     }
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * #### Example: Multiple users
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * auth: {
+ *   enabled: true,
+ *   saveToFile: true,
+ *   inject: 'loginAs', // use `loginAs` instead of login
+ *   users: {
+ *     user: {
+ *       login: (I) => {
+ *          I.amOnPage('/login');
+ *          I.fillField('email', 'user@site.com');
+ *          I.fillField('password', '123456');
+ *          I.click('Login');
+ *       },
+ *       check: (I) => {
+ *          I.amOnPage('/');
+ *          I.see('User', '.navbar');
+ *       },
+ *     },
+ *     admin: {
+ *       login: (I) => {
+ *          I.amOnPage('/login');
+ *          I.fillField('email', 'admin@site.com');
+ *          I.fillField('password', '123456');
+ *          I.click('Login');
+ *       },
+ *       check: (I) => {
+ *          I.amOnPage('/');
+ *          I.see('Admin', '.navbar');
+ *       },
+ *     },
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * #### Example: Keep cookies between tests
+ *
+ * If you decide to keep cookies between tests you don't need to save/retrieve cookies between tests.
+ * But you need to login once work until session expires.
+ * For this case, disable `fetch` and `restore` methods.
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * helpers: {
+ *    WebDriver: {
+ *      // config goes here
+ *      keepCookies: true; // keep cookies for all tests
+ *    }
+ * },
+ * plugins: {
+ *    auth: {
+ *      users: {
+ *        admin: {
+ *          login: (I) => {
+ *            I.amOnPage('/login');
+ *            I.fillField('email', 'admin@site.com');
+ *            I.fillField('password', '123456');
+ *            I.click('Login');
+ *          },
+ *          check: (I) => {
+ *            I.amOnPage('/dashboard');
+ *            I.see('Admin', '.navbar');
+ *          },
+ *          fetch: () => {}, // empty function
+ *          restore: () => {}, // empty funciton
+ *        }
+ *     }
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * #### Example: Getting sessions from local storage
+ *
+ * If your session is stored in local storage instead of cookies you still can obtain sessions.
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * plugins: {
+ *    auth: {
+ *     admin: {
+ *       login: (I) => I.loginAsAdmin(),
+ *       check: (I) => I.see('Admin', '.navbar'),
+ *       fetch: (I) => {
+ *         return I.executeScript(() => localStorage.getItem('session_id'));
+ *       },
+ *       restore: (I, session) => {
+ *         I.amOnPage('/');
+ *         I.executeScript((session) => localStorage.setItem('session_id', session), session);
+ *       },
+ *     }
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * #### Tips: Using async function in the auth
+ *
+ * If you use async functions in the auth plugin, login function should be used with `await` keyword.
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * auth: {
+ *   enabled: true,
+ *   saveToFile: true,
+ *   inject: 'login',
+ *   users: {
+ *     admin: {
+ *       login: async (I) => {  // If you use async function in the auth plugin
+ *          const phrase = await I.grabTextFrom('#phrase')
+ *          I.fillField('username', 'admin'),
+ *          I.fillField('password', 'password')
+ *          I.fillField('phrase', phrase)
+ *       },
+ *       check: (I) => {
+ *          I.amOnPage('/');
+ *          I.see('Admin');
+ *       },
+ *     }
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * Scenario('login', async ( {I, login} ) => {
+ *   await login('admin') // you should use `await`
+ * })
+ * ```
+ *
+ * #### Tips: Using session to validate user
+ *
+ * Instead of asserting on page elements for the current user in `check`, you can use the `session` you saved in `fetch`
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * auth: {
+ *   enabled: true,
+ *   saveToFile: true,
+ *   inject: 'login',
+ *   users: {
+ *     admin: {
+ *       login: async (I) => {  // If you use async function in the auth plugin
+ *          const phrase = await I.grabTextFrom('#phrase')
+ *          I.fillField('username', 'admin'),
+ *          I.fillField('password', 'password')
+ *          I.fillField('phrase', phrase)
+ *       },
+ *       check: (I, session) => {
+ *          // Throwing an error in `check` will make CodeceptJS perform the login step for the user
+ *          if (session.profile.email !== the.email.you.expect@some-mail.com) {
+ *               throw new Error ('Wrong user signed in');
+ *         }
+ *       },
+ *     }
+ *   }
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * ```js
+ * Scenario('login', async ( {I, login} ) => {
+ *   await login('admin') // you should use `await`
+ * })
+ *
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function (config) {
+  config = Object.assign(defaultConfig, config)
+  Object.keys(config.users).map(
+    u =>
+      (config.users[u] = {
+        ...defaultUser,
+        ...config.users[u],
+      }),
+  )
+
+  if (config.saveToFile) {
+    // loading from file
+    loadCookiesFromFile(config)
+  }
+
+  const loginFunction = async name => {
+    const I = container.support('I')
+    const userSession = config.users[name]
+
+    if (!userSession) {
+      throw new Error(`User '${name}' was not configured for authorization in auth plugin. Add it to the plugin config`)
+    }
+
+    const test = store.currentTest
+
+    // we are in BeforeSuite hook
+    if (!test) {
+      enableAuthBeforeEachTest(name)
+      return
+    }
+
+    const section = new Section(`I am logged in as ${name}`)
+
+    if (config.saveToFile && !store[`${name}_session`]) {
+      loadCookiesFromFile(config)
+    }
+
+    if (isPlaywrightSession() && test?.opts?.cookies) {
+      if (test.opts.user == name) {
+        debug(`Cookies already loaded for ${name}`)
+
+        alreadyLoggedIn(name)
+        return
+      } else {
+        debug(`Cookies already loaded for ${test.opts.user}, but not for ${name}`)
+        await I.deleteCookie()
+      }
+    }
+
+    section.start()
+
+    const cookies = store[`${name}_session`]
+    const shouldAwait = isAsyncFunction(userSession.login) || isAsyncFunction(userSession.restore) || isAsyncFunction(userSession.check)
+
+    const loginAndSave = async () => {
+      if (shouldAwait) {
+        await userSession.login(I)
+      } else {
+        userSession.login(I)
+      }
+
+      section.end()
+      const cookies = await userSession.fetch(I)
+      if (!cookies) {
+        debug("Cannot save user session with empty cookies from auto login's fetch method")
+        return
+      }
+      if (config.saveToFile) {
+        debug(`Saved user session into file for ${name}`)
+        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(global.output_dir, `${name}_session.json`), JSON.stringify(cookies))
+      }
+      store[`${name}_session`] = cookies
+    }
+
+    if (!cookies) return loginAndSave()
+
+    recorder.session.start('check login')
+    if (shouldAwait) {
+      await userSession.restore(I, cookies)
+      await userSession.check(I, cookies)
+    } else {
+      userSession.restore(I, cookies)
+      userSession.check(I, cookies)
+    }
+    section.end()
+    recorder.session.catch(err => {
+      debug(`Failed auto login for ${name} due to ${err}`)
+      debug('Logging in again')
+      recorder.session.start('auto login')
+      return loginAndSave()
+        .then(() => {
+          recorder.add(() => recorder.session.restore('auto login'))
+          recorder.catch(() => debug('continue'))
+        })
+        .catch(err => {
+          recorder.session.restore('auto login')
+          recorder.session.restore('check login')
+          section.end()
+          recorder.throw(err)
+        })
+    })
+    recorder.add(() => {
+      recorder.session.restore('check login')
+    })
+
+    return recorder.promise()
+  }
+
+  function enableAuthBeforeEachTest(name) {
+    const suite = store.currentSuite
+    if (!suite) return
+
+    debug(`enabling auth as ${name} for each test of suite ${suite.title}`)
+
+    // we are setting test opts so they can be picked up by Playwright if it starts browser for this test
+    suite.eachTest(test => {
+      // preload from store
+      if (store[`${name}_session`]) {
+        test.opts.cookies = store[`${name}_session`]
+        test.opts.user = name
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (!config.saveToFile) return
+      const cookieFile = path.join(global.output_dir, `${name}_session.json`)
+
+      if (!fileExists(cookieFile)) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const context = fs.readFileSync(cookieFile).toString()
+      test.opts.cookies = JSON.parse(context)
+      test.opts.user = name
+    })
+
+    function runLoginFunctionForTest(test) {
+      if (!suite.tests.includes(test)) return
+      // let's call this function to ensure that authorization happened
+      // if no cookies, it will login and save them
+      loginFunction(name)
+    }
+
+    // we are in BeforeSuite hook
+    event.dispatcher.on(event.test.started, runLoginFunctionForTest)
+    event.dispatcher.on(event.suite.after, () => {
+      event.dispatcher.off(event.test.started, runLoginFunctionForTest)
+    })
+  }
+
+  // adding this to DI container
+  const support = {}
+  support[config.inject] = loginFunction
+  container.append({ support })
+
+  return loginFunction
+}
+
+function loadCookiesFromFile(config) {
+  for (const name in config.users) {
+    const fileName = path.join(global.output_dir, `${name}_session.json`)
+    if (!fileExists(fileName)) continue
+    const data = fs.readFileSync(fileName).toString()
+    try {
+      store[`${name}_session`] = JSON.parse(data)
+    } catch (err) {
+      throw new Error(`Could not load session from ${fileName}\n${err}`)
+    }
+    debug(`Loaded user session for ${name}`)
+  }
+}
+
+function isPlaywrightSession() {
+  return !!container.helpers('Playwright')
+}
+
+function alreadyLoggedIn(name) {
+  const step = new CommentStep('am logged in as')
+  step.actor = 'I'
+  return step.addToRecorder([name])
+}
diff --git a/lib/plugin/autoLogin.js b/lib/plugin/autoLogin.js
index 805585510..219eee4f7 100644
--- a/lib/plugin/autoLogin.js
+++ b/lib/plugin/autoLogin.js
@@ -1,339 +1,5 @@
-const fs = require('fs')
-const path = require('path')
-const { fileExists } = require('../utils')
-const container = require('../container')
-const store = require('../store')
-const recorder = require('../recorder')
-const { debug } = require('../output')
-const isAsyncFunction = require('../utils').isAsyncFunction
+const auth = require('./auth')
 
-const defaultUser = {
-  fetch: I => I.grabCookie(),
-  check: () => {},
-  restore: (I, cookies) => {
-    I.amOnPage('/') // open a page
-    I.setCookie(cookies)
-  },
-}
+console.log('autoLogin plugin was renamed to auth plugin. Please update your config.')
 
-const defaultConfig = {
-  saveToFile: false,
-  inject: 'login',
-}
-
-/**
- * Logs user in for the first test and reuses session for next tests.
- * Works by saving cookies into memory or file.
- * If a session expires automatically logs in again.
- *
- * > For better development experience cookies can be saved into file, so a session can be reused while writing tests.
- *
- * #### Usage
- *
- * 1. Enable this plugin and configure as described below
- * 2. Define user session names (example: `user`, `editor`, `admin`, etc).
- * 3. Define how users are logged in and how to check that user is logged in
- * 4. Use `login` object inside your tests to log in:
- *
- * ```js
- * // inside a test file
- * // use login to inject auto-login function
- * Feature('Login');
- *
- * Before(({ login }) => {
- *    login('user'); // login using user session
- * });
- *
- * // Alternatively log in for one scenario.
- * Scenario('log me in', ( { I, login } ) => {
- *    login('admin');
- *    I.see('I am logged in');
- * });
- * ```
- *
- * #### Configuration
- *
- * * `saveToFile` (default: false) - save cookies to file. Allows to reuse session between execution.
- * * `inject` (default: `login`) - name of the login function to use
- * * `users` - an array containing different session names and functions to:
- *    * `login` - sign in into the system
- *     * `check` - check that user is logged in
- *     * `fetch` - to get current cookies (by default `I.grabCookie()`)
- *     * `restore` - to set cookies (by default `I.amOnPage('/'); I.setCookie(cookie)`)
- *
- * #### How It Works
- *
- * 1. `restore` method is executed. It should open a page and set credentials.
- * 2. `check` method is executed. It should reload a page (so cookies are applied) and check that this page belongs to logged-in user. When you pass the second args `session`, you could perform the validation using passed session.
- * 3. If `restore` and `check` were not successful, `login` is executed
- * 4. `login` should fill in login form
- * 5. After successful login, `fetch` is executed to save cookies into memory or file.
- *
- * #### Example: Simple login
- *
- * ```js
- * autoLogin: {
- *   enabled: true,
- *   saveToFile: true,
- *   inject: 'login',
- *   users: {
- *     admin: {
- *       // loginAdmin function is defined in `steps_file.js`
- *       login: (I) => I.loginAdmin(),
- *       // if we see `Admin` on page, we assume we are logged in
- *       check: (I) => {
- *          I.amOnPage('/');
- *          I.see('Admin');
- *       }
- *     }
- *   }
- * }
- * ```
- *
- * #### Example: Multiple users
- *
- * ```js
- * autoLogin: {
- *   enabled: true,
- *   saveToFile: true,
- *   inject: 'loginAs', // use `loginAs` instead of login
- *   users: {
- *     user: {
- *       login: (I) => {
- *          I.amOnPage('/login');
- *          I.fillField('email', 'user@site.com');
- *          I.fillField('password', '123456');
- *          I.click('Login');
- *       },
- *       check: (I) => {
- *          I.amOnPage('/');
- *          I.see('User', '.navbar');
- *       },
- *     },
- *     admin: {
- *       login: (I) => {
- *          I.amOnPage('/login');
- *          I.fillField('email', 'admin@site.com');
- *          I.fillField('password', '123456');
- *          I.click('Login');
- *       },
- *       check: (I) => {
- *          I.amOnPage('/');
- *          I.see('Admin', '.navbar');
- *       },
- *     },
- *   }
- * }
- * ```
- *
- * #### Example: Keep cookies between tests
- *
- * If you decide to keep cookies between tests you don't need to save/retrieve cookies between tests.
- * But you need to login once work until session expires.
- * For this case, disable `fetch` and `restore` methods.
- *
- * ```js
- * helpers: {
- *    WebDriver: {
- *      // config goes here
- *      keepCookies: true; // keep cookies for all tests
- *    }
- * },
- * plugins: {
- *    autoLogin: {
- *      users: {
- *        admin: {
- *          login: (I) => {
- *            I.amOnPage('/login');
- *            I.fillField('email', 'admin@site.com');
- *            I.fillField('password', '123456');
- *            I.click('Login');
- *          },
- *          check: (I) => {
- *            I.amOnPage('/dashboard');
- *            I.see('Admin', '.navbar');
- *          },
- *          fetch: () => {}, // empty function
- *          restore: () => {}, // empty funciton
- *        }
- *     }
- *   }
- * }
- * ```
- *
- * #### Example: Getting sessions from local storage
- *
- * If your session is stored in local storage instead of cookies you still can obtain sessions.
- *
- * ```js
- * plugins: {
- *    autoLogin: {
- *     admin: {
- *       login: (I) => I.loginAsAdmin(),
- *       check: (I) => I.see('Admin', '.navbar'),
- *       fetch: (I) => {
- *         return I.executeScript(() => localStorage.getItem('session_id'));
- *       },
- *       restore: (I, session) => {
- *         I.amOnPage('/');
- *         I.executeScript((session) => localStorage.setItem('session_id', session), session);
- *       },
- *     }
- *   }
- * }
- * ```
- *
- * #### Tips: Using async function in the autoLogin
- *
- * If you use async functions in the autoLogin plugin, login function should be used with `await` keyword.
- *
- * ```js
- * autoLogin: {
- *   enabled: true,
- *   saveToFile: true,
- *   inject: 'login',
- *   users: {
- *     admin: {
- *       login: async (I) => {  // If you use async function in the autoLogin plugin
- *          const phrase = await I.grabTextFrom('#phrase')
- *          I.fillField('username', 'admin'),
- *          I.fillField('password', 'password')
- *          I.fillField('phrase', phrase)
- *       },
- *       check: (I) => {
- *          I.amOnPage('/');
- *          I.see('Admin');
- *       },
- *     }
- *   }
- * }
- * ```
- *
- * ```js
- * Scenario('login', async ( {I, login} ) => {
- *   await login('admin') // you should use `await`
- * })
- * ```
- *
- * #### Tips: Using session to validate user
- *
- * Instead of asserting on page elements for the current user in `check`, you can use the `session` you saved in `fetch`
- *
- * ```js
- * autoLogin: {
- *   enabled: true,
- *   saveToFile: true,
- *   inject: 'login',
- *   users: {
- *     admin: {
- *       login: async (I) => {  // If you use async function in the autoLogin plugin
- *          const phrase = await I.grabTextFrom('#phrase')
- *          I.fillField('username', 'admin'),
- *          I.fillField('password', 'password')
- *          I.fillField('phrase', phrase)
- *       },
- *       check: (I, session) => {
- *          // Throwing an error in `check` will make CodeceptJS perform the login step for the user
- *          if (session.profile.email !== the.email.you.expect@some-mail.com) {
- *               throw new Error ('Wrong user signed in');
- *         }
- *       },
- *     }
- *   }
- * }
- * ```
- *
- * ```js
- * Scenario('login', async ( {I, login} ) => {
- *   await login('admin') // you should use `await`
- * })
- *
- *
- */
-module.exports = function (config) {
-  config = Object.assign(defaultConfig, config)
-  Object.keys(config.users).map(
-    u =>
-      (config.users[u] = {
-        ...defaultUser,
-        ...config.users[u],
-      }),
-  )
-
-  if (config.saveToFile) {
-    // loading from file
-    for (const name in config.users) {
-      const fileName = path.join(global.output_dir, `${name}_session.json`)
-      if (!fileExists(fileName)) continue
-      const data = fs.readFileSync(fileName).toString()
-      try {
-        store[`${name}_session`] = JSON.parse(data)
-      } catch (err) {
-        throw new Error(`Could not load session from ${fileName}\n${err}`)
-      }
-      debug(`Loaded user session for ${name}`)
-    }
-  }
-
-  const loginFunction = async name => {
-    const userSession = config.users[name]
-    const I = container.support('I')
-    const cookies = store[`${name}_session`]
-    const shouldAwait = isAsyncFunction(userSession.login) || isAsyncFunction(userSession.restore) || isAsyncFunction(userSession.check)
-
-    const loginAndSave = async () => {
-      if (shouldAwait) {
-        await userSession.login(I)
-      } else {
-        userSession.login(I)
-      }
-
-      const cookies = await userSession.fetch(I)
-      if (!cookies) {
-        debug("Cannot save user session with empty cookies from auto login's fetch method")
-        return
-      }
-      if (config.saveToFile) {
-        debug(`Saved user session into file for ${name}`)
-        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(global.output_dir, `${name}_session.json`), JSON.stringify(cookies))
-      }
-      store[`${name}_session`] = cookies
-    }
-
-    if (!cookies) return loginAndSave()
-
-    recorder.session.start('check login')
-    if (shouldAwait) {
-      await userSession.restore(I, cookies)
-      await userSession.check(I, cookies)
-    } else {
-      userSession.restore(I, cookies)
-      userSession.check(I, cookies)
-    }
-    recorder.session.catch(err => {
-      debug(`Failed auto login for ${name} due to ${err}`)
-      debug('Logging in again')
-      recorder.session.start('auto login')
-      return loginAndSave()
-        .then(() => {
-          recorder.add(() => recorder.session.restore('auto login'))
-          recorder.catch(() => debug('continue'))
-        })
-        .catch(err => {
-          recorder.session.restore('auto login')
-          recorder.session.restore('check login')
-          recorder.throw(err)
-        })
-    })
-    recorder.add(() => {
-      recorder.session.restore('check login')
-    })
-
-    return recorder.promise()
-  }
-
-  // adding this to DI container
-  const support = {}
-  support[config.inject] = loginFunction
-  container.append({ support })
-}
+module.exports = auth
diff --git a/lib/step/base.js b/lib/step/base.js
index 27ea059dd..7e2a6acf8 100644
--- a/lib/step/base.js
+++ b/lib/step/base.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const color = require('chalk')
 const Secret = require('../secret')
 const { getCurrentTimeout } = require('../timeout')
 const { ucfirst, humanizeString, serializeError } = require('../utils')
+const recordStep = require('./record')
 
 const STACK_LINE = 5
 
@@ -51,6 +52,10 @@ class Step {
     throw new Error('Not implemented')
   }
 
+  addToRecorder(args) {
+    return recordStep(this, args)
+  }
+
   /**
    * @returns {number|undefined}
    */
diff --git a/lib/step/comment.js b/lib/step/comment.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6973abac8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/step/comment.js
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+const FuncStep = require('./func')
+
+class CommentStep extends FuncStep {
+  constructor(name, comment) {
+    super(name)
+    this.fn = () => {}
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = CommentStep