🔐 Authentication Failed
What it means & how to fix it
What is this error?
Unable to verify your identity or credentials
HTTP Status: 401 (Unauthorized) or 403 (Forbidden). Check WWW-Authenticate header for authentication scheme details.
Common Causes
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Invalid, expired, or revoked API key
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Incorrect username or password
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Two-factor authentication (2FA) required but not provided
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Session expired or token invalidated
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IP address or domain restrictions
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Account suspended or disabled
✓ How to Fix It
- Verify API key or credentials are correct and up-to-date
- Regenerate API key from your account dashboard
- Check if 2FA is enabled and provide the required code
- Ensure you're using the correct authentication method (Bearer token, API key, OAuth)
- Clear cookies and log in again for session-based authentication
- Verify your IP address is whitelisted if IP restrictions are enabled
- Contact support if your account appears to be locked or suspended
💡 Prevention Tips
Implement proper error handling: Always catch and log errors with detailed context (timestamps, request IDs, parameters).
Use retry logic: Implement exponential backoff for transient errors. Don't retry immediately—wait progressively longer between attempts.
Monitor your usage: Set up alerts for quota limits, error rates, and unusual patterns. Catch issues before they impact users.
Stay updated: Subscribe to service status notifications and follow official channels for maintenance announcements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this error on my side or the service's side?
Check the "Common Causes" section above. Network errors, authentication failures, and connection issues are often client-side. Server errors, maintenance, and service unavailability are provider-side. Use our status monitoring dashboard to see if others are experiencing the same problem.
How long will it take to resolve?
Resolution time varies by error type. Client-side issues (authentication, network) can be fixed immediately by following the solutions above. Server-side issues depend on the provider's response time—typically minutes to hours for minor issues, longer for major outages.
Should I keep retrying or wait?
Use exponential backoff: wait 1s, then 2s, 4s, 8s, etc. between retries. Don't retry immediately or in a tight loop—you'll waste resources and may get rate limited. For rate limit errors specifically, wait for the reset time indicated in response headers.
Where can I report persistent errors?
First, check if the service has reported issues on our status pages. If not, report directly to the service provider's support team with error details (timestamps, request IDs, exact error messages). You can also report on our platform to alert the community.
What information should I include when reporting an error?
Include: exact error message or code, timestamp, request ID (if provided), HTTP status code, endpoint URL, approximate payload size, and any recent changes to your integration. This helps support teams diagnose issues quickly.
Related Resources