NPM ERR Code E401: Unable to authenticate, need: Bearer authorization

Question

I downloaded a NodeJS application from GitHub and facing the following error when executing npm install.

npm ERR! code E401
npm ERR! Unable to authenticate, need: Bearer authorization_uri=https://login.windows.net/c1156c2f-a3bb-4fc4-ac07-3eab96da8d10, Basic realm="https://pkgsprodeus21.pkgs.visualstudio.com/", TFS-Federated

My Node version is 6.13.1 and NPM version is 6.13.4. Following is the content of package.json file:

{
  "name": "DemoApp",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "A social oasis for lovers of pizza.",
  "repository": "****",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "start": "node index.js"
  },
  "author": "****",
  "license": "MIT",
  "dependencies": {
    "@hapi/boom": "7.4.2",
    "@hapi/catbox": "10.2.1",
    "@hapi/catbox-redis": "5.0.2",
    "@hapi/cookie": "10.1.0",
    "@hapi/good": "8.2.0",
    "@hapi/good-squeeze": "5.2.0",
    "@hapi/hapi": "18.3.1",
    "@hapi/inert": "5.2.1",
    "@hapi/joi": "15.1.0",
    "@hapi/vision": "5.5.2",
    "aws-sdk": "2.488.0",
    "bcryptjs": "2.4.3",
    "bootflat": "2.0.4",
    "fs-extra": "8.1.0",
    "handlebars": "4.1.2",
    "lodash": "4.17.13",
    "pg": "7.11.0",
    "sequelize": "5.9.4"
  }
}

I have been stuck at this issue since yesterday and still no luck finding the solution. Any help would be highly appreciated.

Could you post a link to the github? I supect that one of the dependencies is secured. — Titulum, Jan 24 '20 at 10:34
you aren't passing the bearer token back it seems check out this :-https://learning.getpostman.com/docs/postman/sending-api-requests/authorization/#bearer-token it is also applicable for react/angular or any other frontend calling apis to backend. — Rishabh Jain, Jan 24 '20 at 10:34
I just copy-pasted your package.json file to an empty directory and run `npm i` and it installed everything correctly. Could you try to do it in a clean environment? Also, what OS do you use? — Sebastian Kaczmarek, Jan 24 '20 at 10:35
Could you run 'npm whoami', if this returns something, try 'npm logout' then try npm i again — Inch High, Jan 24 '20 at 10:38
@InchHigh 'npm whoami' returns following npm ERR! code ENEEDAUTH npm ERR! need auth This command requires you to be logged in. npm ERR! need auth You need to authorize this machine using `npm adduser` — Gaurav Ahuja, Jan 24 '20 at 11:37
@SebastianKaczmarek what do you exactly mean by a clean environment.Are you suggesting to uninstall Node & then install again? — Gaurav Ahuja, Jan 24 '20 at 11:44
@Titulum: Following is the GitHub link: https://github.com/ryanmurakami/pizza-luvrs/issues/10 — Gaurav Ahuja, Jan 24 '20 at 11:45
@GauravAhuja No, I mean try to install those dependencies on some isolated environment in order to isolate the issue and make sure it is not connected to something specific on your OS — Sebastian Kaczmarek, Jan 24 '20 at 12:26
I tried to run `npm i --save keycloak-angular` and faced the same issue on Ubuntu 18. I get the following error: `npm ERR! code E401 npm ERR! Unable to authenticate, need: Bearer authorization_uri=https://login.windows.net/68f955b9-2bc2-436c-8ccd-adad7ff63380, Basic realm="https://pkgsprodsin1.app.pkgs.visualstudio.com/", TFS-Federated` — dhiraka, Jul 13 '20 at 11:45

score 97 · Answer 1 · edited Jul 05 '23 at 03:18

97

First, delete the .npmrc file in your Users folder. This folder:

C:\Users\[your user name]

Then run this command in your project folder that has an .npmrc file in it:

npx vsts-npm-auth -config .npmrc

edited Jul 05 '23 at 03:18

Dale K

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answered Nov 13 '20 at 16:48

LCIII

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9

Does not work in Linux (e.g. Ubuntu): `vsts-npm-auth: Exec format error` – ntg May 14 '21 at 05:22
4

I needed to add `-force` and then it worked for me. – Jammar Jun 23 '21 at 10:00
7

Same problem, worked with `-F` this time. (Yes I googled and found to my own comment without realising it afterwards). – Jammar Jan 11 '22 at 12:53
Worked for me on Windows 10. – lattejiu Jan 19 '22 at 16:22
6

An explanation of what the problem is and why this solves it would be awesome for those of us who are less knowledgeable about `npm` – PerpetualStudent Oct 03 '22 at 15:32
The command does not work on macOS. – Mohammad Arif Aug 01 '23 at 09:45

score 54 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 13 '20 at 11:55

54

Use npm install --registry https://registry.npmjs.org instead of npm install

answered Jul 13 '20 at 11:55

dhiraka

817
6
13

1

This worked for me so my problem is resolved but it doesn't address the underlying issue. There is a separate identity that is looking to an address I no longer have auth for to get this package. Do you know where I can change this? – James Sep 30 '20 at 03:54
3

@James check your .npmrc file under c:\users\\.npmrc – Mohamad Al Asmar Dec 22 '20 at 17:11
I also had a local .npmrc file with a registry definition to Github registry. This fixed it for my npm ci && npm run test command – silveur May 31 '21 at 04:11
This fixed it for me. – David Klempfner Jun 29 '21 at 22:34
This should be the ideal answer - it worked for github action runner as well – abhijat_saxena Jun 29 '23 at 16:44

score 33 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 21 '21 at 10:48

33

No need to delete the .npmrc file, the following worked for me

npm logout

Then

vsts-npm-auth -config .npmrc

answered Apr 21 '21 at 10:48

djb

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2

I still needed "npx" at the beginning of the second command, but this approach worked for me! – Mike Manard Dec 23 '21 at 18:49
This works for me, I have recently changed my password so may be this issue happened, Thank you! – Chintan Padh Sep 07 '22 at 08:59

blub · Answer 4 · 2022-03-14T08:58:49.327

21

If you get E401 with a private npm registry after upgrading to npm v7, remove your package-lock.json and reinstall.

The registry url setting in .npmrc needs to match the http/https protocol in your package-lock.json exactly.

Or as Stuart pointed out: find and replace to update the existing lock file with the correct URL

edited Mar 14 '22 at 08:58

answered Feb 24 '21 at 09:47

blub

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Or find and replace to update the existing lock file with the correct URL – Stuart Hallows Jun 28 '21 at 12:07
1

this was it for me. wow what a ridiculous error message i would never have thought to delete the package.json!! – 1ak31sha Feb 18 '22 at 04:40

score 12 · Answer 5 · answered Oct 23 '21 at 07:30

12

Worked for me:

Delete the yarn.lock/package-lock.json files
npm install

answered Oct 23 '21 at 07:30

Izhar

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Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers [in the help center](/help/how-to-answer). – Community Oct 23 '21 at 08:32

score 5 · Answer 6 · answered May 03 '22 at 17:09

5

I had the same issue, my discovery was as follows:

The application node.js version was 14.0 but the node version in my machine was 16.0. I had to install the node the version 14.0 to resolve the issue.

To manage multiple node versions this tool is highly recommended.

windows - Nvm for windows
Linux - Nvm for Linux

answered May 03 '22 at 17:09

dinith jayabodhi

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Yes, looking in the package.json I had an npm version much older than the on my windows pc. Using nvm (installed using CMD not powershell) I was able to also get the older one to run and then switch back for my other projects. – MagicLuckyCat Sep 15 '22 at 15:21

score 4 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 01 '20 at 12:44

4

I had this exactly same error and turned out it was an issue with personal access token (PAT). Renew your PAT and run vsts-npm-auth.

answered Apr 01 '20 at 12:44

FDuarte

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Renew your PAT? – Marz Jan 03 '22 at 23:48
2

@marz "Personal Access Token" In Azure DevOps / User Settings / Personal Access Tokens – psulek Jan 10 '22 at 08:28

score 3 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 21 '21 at 13:52

3

Delete old .npmrc file from user home directory and then run the following command

vsts-npm-auth -config .npmrc -T $HOME/.npmrc

answered Apr 21 '21 at 13:52

Amir

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`npx vsts-npm-auth -C .npmrc -T %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\\.npmrc` - if you inherit a project that only supports windows >.> | You may need to `rename %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\\.npmrc %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%\\.npmrc.bak` or add -force. In the $HOME/.npmrc, you may need to change //visualstudio to / h t t p s :/ /visualstudio – TamusJRoyce Jan 27 '22 at 05:44

score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Dec 03 '20 at 01:27

2

I solved it running this command:

npm logout/npm login

answered Dec 03 '20 at 01:27

Virmerson

37
2

score 2 · Answer 10 · answered Nov 16 '21 at 10:25

This issue comes from a wrong configuration in your .npmrc file. I had a slightly different error so I'm sharing it here.

In my case the exact error was:

Unable to authenticate, need: Bearer realm="<registry>", Basic realm="<registry>"

My npmrc file should connect to a private npm registry and looked like this:

registry=https://<private-registry>
//<private-registry>:_authToken=<token>
//<private-registry>:always-auth=true

The issue was that I needed to add the https:// protocol also to the second and third line and it worked. In the end it looked like this:

registry=https://<private-registry>
    //https://<private-registry>:_authToken=<token>
    //https://<private-registry>:always-auth=true

If you have a new question, please ask it by clicking the [Ask Question](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/ask) button. Include a link to this question if it helps provide context. - [From Review](/review/late-answers/30354186) — Bracken, Nov 16 '21 at 16:50

score 1 · Answer 11 · answered Feb 16 '22 at 04:45

I had the same error with our company registry configured in .npmrc

registry=https:<compnay-registry-url>

Node version : 16.10.0
NPM version : 7.24.0

Solution:

Execute npm login

$ npm login
npm notice Log in on https:<registry-url>
Username: xxxx
Password:
Email: (this IS public) (xxxx)
Logged in as xxx on https:<registry-url>.

After this .npmrc got updated with

//<registry-url>/:_authToken=xxxxx

score 1 · Answer 12 · answered Aug 22 '22 at 18:12

If you are trying to install any package from your private repo and you are getting this error with npm i package_name command then

1. remove your package-lock.json from the the directory where to tried to create the package from 
2. reinstall dependencies: npm i

this will resolve the issue.

score 1 · Answer 13 · answered Oct 12 '22 at 22:11

1

I had the same issue caused by an expired token in the .npmrc file in my project directory. Sadly the error is very unspecific on what causes the auth error.

answered Oct 12 '22 at 22:11

Felix D.

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score 0 · Answer 14 · answered Oct 06 '22 at 07:53

0

For me the the problem was in .npmrc file the key password needed to be changed to _password then npm install worked.

answered Oct 06 '22 at 07:53

Allan Ojala

694
10
22

score 0 · Answer 15 · edited Jul 05 '23 at 03:15

Using a Mac and Azure - it was because my Personal Access Token (PAT) had expired and it didn't let me know.

Open your .npmrc with your auth tokens in.

Go to your Azure repo and click your profile and then personal access tokens.

Create a new token.

Open terminal and run:

node -e "require('readline') .createInterface({input:process.stdin,output:process.stdout,historySize:0}) .question('PAT> ',p => { b64=Buffer.from(p.trim()).toString('base64');console.log(b64);process.exit(); })"

Paste your PAT in and press Enter

Copy the Base64 encoded value into your .npmrc password.

Alexey Varlamov · Answer 16 · 2022-01-12T14:33:34.063

Had the same error. In my case, the initial project including package-lock.json file was composed with NodeJS version 12 and npm version 6. But trying to run npm install on my local machine with NodeJS version 16 and npm version 7 was causing this problem.

My solution was installing dependencies with the initial version of NodeJS. I used docker to get the correct version, run this command from the root directory of your project (where the package.json file is located):

docker run --rm -it \
    -w /app \
    -v $PWD/:/app \
    node:12 \
    npm install

If you do not have docker installed, you can try using nvm.

score -1 · Answer 17 · edited Jul 05 '23 at 03:15

-1

This worked for me. I just logged in again in NPM and the problem was solved

npm login

After you write your username and password execute again

npm install

edited Jul 05 '23 at 03:15

Dale K

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answered Sep 16 '22 at 12:23

I.R.1989

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score -1 · Answer 18 · edited Jul 05 '23 at 03:15

-1

Just run npm run reauthenticateNpmAuth

It'll open an Azure login. Use your Azure DevOps credentials to authenticate

edited Jul 05 '23 at 03:15

Dale K

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answered Mar 08 '23 at 18:13

Roshan Samarasinghe

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`reauthenticateNpmAuth` is a script from yourself which isn't known to the reader. What is the script content @RoshanSamarasinghe? Should be in your package.json somewhere. – Michael May 09 '23 at 20:35

NPM ERR Code E401: Unable to authenticate, need: Bearer authorization

18 Answers18

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