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If an Applitools Eyes test returns 401 Unauthorized, first check that the test is using the right API key. If your Eyes account runs on a private cloud or on-premise deployment, also check that its deployment-specific server URL is configured. Applitools lists these as usual causes, not an exhaustive diagnosis for every SDK or error.
Fix the key and endpoint in this order
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Copy the execution key from the intended account
Sign in to the Applitools Dashboard, open the account menu or avatar, and choose My API key. Copy the key for the team or account where the test should appear. A key from another account may be valid but still be the wrong one for this run. Applitools documents this dashboard path and recommends using
APPLITOOLS_API_KEYrather than hardcoding the secret in a configuration file.As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Make the key available to the process that launches the test
Set the exact environment variable
APPLITOOLS_API_KEYin the environment of the actual test runner. That might be your terminal, IDE run configuration, CI job, container, or another launcher. Setting it in a different shell or user session does not mean the test process receives it.Free tools Windows power users keep installed
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Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.For example, in a POSIX shell you can set it for a command like this:
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APPLITOOLS_API_KEY='YOUR_API_KEY' ./run-testsReplace
./run-testswith the command that starts your test suite. In CI, use the platform’s protected secret or variable facility when available; do not commit a live key to source control or print it in logs. -
Check the SDK’s supported configuration method
Official Applitools examples use the environment variable. Some SDK paths also allow direct assignment in SDK configuration: the Appium Python documentation, for example, describes setting
eyes.api_key. Follow the instructions for the SDK and version in your project; the available sources do not establish one universal precedence rule across every SDK. -
Set the server URL only when your deployment requires it
For a private-cloud or on-premise Eyes deployment, configure the server URL supplied for that deployment. Applitools identifies an unset server URL as a usual cause of 401 errors in those environments. Do not change the endpoint automatically for every public-cloud test: the Eyes Figma Plugin documentation lists
https://eyes.applitools.comas its default public server URL and advises checking the URL for private Eyes clouds.Recommended: Fix Windows Errors and Clear Junk Files in Minutes - Free Scan →Recommended: Crashes or Glitches? A Free Driver Scan Usually Finds the Culprit →Recommended: PC Feels Slow? A Free Scan Shows What's Dragging Windows Down →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Retry once, changing one item at a time
After verifying the key, process environment, and any applicable private endpoint, rerun the failing test. Changing one configuration item per attempt makes it easier to identify what fixed the error.
Public Eyes cloud and private deployments
| Situation | Key check | Endpoint check |
|---|---|---|
| Public Eyes cloud | Use the execution key for the intended account, and ensure APPLITOOLS_API_KEY reaches the test runner. |
Use the account’s documented public configuration. The Figma Plugin documentation gives https://eyes.applitools.com as its default. |
| Private cloud or on-premise Eyes | Use the execution key for the intended account and pass it to the test runner. | Verify and configure the server URL supplied for the private deployment; do not assume the public default applies. |
The private endpoint check is conditional: a missing server URL is a documented common cause for private deployments, not a reason to replace a working public-cloud endpoint.
If the failing operation uses Applitools MCP
Do not confuse an Eyes test execution key with the permission keys documented for Applitools MCP operations. The MCP documentation distinguishes APPLITOOLS_API_KEY for execution from APPLITOOLS_READ_KEY and APPLITOOLS_WRITE_KEY for specified inspection, resolution, and review use cases. Check the required key for the particular MCP tool and operation that failed.
If the 401 continues
The documented checks do not prove a single cause for every SDK, tool, or runtime. Gather the SDK or tool name and version, the exact error with secrets removed, whether the account uses public or private hosting, and how the launching process receives its secret. Never include the API key itself in a log, support request, or post.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Key looks right but the runner still fails: verify the value in the IDE, CI job, container, or shell that actually starts the test—not just in another session.
- Only a private deployment fails: ask the account administrator for the correct deployment server URL and confirm that the test is configured to use it.
- An MCP action fails while test execution works: check whether the action requires a read or write key rather than the execution key.
Or skip the browser setup
If your goal is to capture a webpage as an image or PDF rather than run Applitools visual tests, ScreenshotNeo is an alternative to try first: it provides clean screenshots, bills only clean shots, and has a lower-priced paid plan starting at $5 for 3,000 shots. It is not a replacement for Applitools Eyes visual-test execution.
One GET request can return a screenshot; see the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the available options:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie and consent banners before capture and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, with response headers indicating the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers screenshot, page-info, and PDF-capture tools for AI agents. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.
Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card required.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsQuick Recap
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