𝟰𝟬𝟭 𝗨𝗻𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁
A 401 error means the server does not know who you are. It is different from a 403 error. A 403 means you are recognized but lack permission. A 401 means your authentication failed.
The good news is you can fix this. It is usually a configuration error.
Common causes for 401 errors:
- Typos in your API key. A single space at the end of a key will break it. Always trim your keys.
- Expired keys. Providers often stop working without warning. Check your expiration dates.
- Environment variable errors. Your code might still use old settings. This happens often in Docker containers.
- Wrong header formats. Some APIs require a Bearer prefix. Others use custom headers like X-API-Key.
- Proxy issues. A gateway might block you before you even reach the API.
Use this checklist to debug:
• Print the key you are sending to ensure it matches your records. • Verify the key is still active. • Check your header format against the documentation. • Test the key with a curl command in your terminal. • Check if a proxy is changing your headers.
Stop trying to use retry logic. Retrying a 401 will not help. You must fix the credentials first.
Source: https://dev.to/laowuuu_dev/401-unauthorized-the-api-error-thats-easier-to-fix-than-you-think-3o4h