A 401 Unauthorized error means Claude Code’s request was not accepted as authenticated; it does not, by itself, prove that an OAuth refresh token expired. First identify which credential source Claude Code is using, then check whether the failure happens during sign-in, a browser callback, or a later request. The steps below reflect Anthropic guidance and reports checked on October 7, 2026.
What a Claude Code 401 means
Anthropic classifies an API 401 as an authentication_error. Its error reference says, “There’s an issue with your API key (for example, it’s malformed, revoked, or expired; see Key expiration).” A 401 therefore points to authentication being rejected, but the status alone cannot tell you whether the cause is an expired OAuth login, an API key, or another configured credential path. Anthropic API error reference
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Messages such as “OAuth token has expired” or “Please run /login” are useful clues, but they do not establish the underlying cause. Start with the active authentication method and the stage where the error appears.
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Claude Code may authenticate through a subscription login, an API key, or configured cloud-provider credentials. An ANTHROPIC_API_KEY in the environment can cause the CLI to use API billing instead of the subscription account you expected. Check the variable in the same shell where the error occurs, and use /status to inspect active authentication when available. For an organization-disabled case involving a stray key, Anthropic recommends unsetting that key and checking /status; applicability depends on the exact error and setup. Anthropic plan and Claude Code guidance Anthropic guidance on the organization-disabled error
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- Subscription login: verify that the intended account is selected.
- API key: check whether
ANTHROPIC_API_KEYis present, valid, and the credential you intended to use. - Cloud provider: follow the credential and configuration checks for the provider rather than assuming a Claude subscription login is active.
Match the error to where it happens
Browser sign-in or callback does not complete
Remote SSH sessions, devcontainers, and restrictive firewalls can prevent the browser callback from reaching the terminal. Anthropic’s troubleshooting guidance documents a manual flow: copy the URL printed in the terminal, complete sign-in in a browser, then paste the returned code into the terminal. Anthropic Claude Code troubleshooting
The wrong account is selected
Anthropic’s plan guidance recommends logging out, updating Claude Code, restarting the terminal, and signing in again to select the intended account. Before retrying, check whether an environment API key is steering requests away from the subscription login. Anthropic plan and Claude Code guidance
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Bedrock or Vertex credentials are involved
For Amazon Bedrock, Anthropic’s troubleshooting page calls out checking AWS identity and region. For Google Vertex AI, it points to application-default login and the project and region settings. These provider-backed configurations have distinct credential requirements; a failed provider request is not necessarily an OAuth refresh-token problem. Anthropic Claude Code troubleshooting
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A request fails after login
Check which credential source is active and whether it is valid for the request being made. Anthropic’s API reference describes malformed, revoked, or expired API keys as examples of 401 causes; do not treat the error as proof that a particular local OAuth token needs deletion or reset. Anthropic API error reference
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Use a focused troubleshooting sequence
- Check the active credentials: in the same terminal session, inspect whether
ANTHROPIC_API_KEYis set. In Claude Code, use/statusto check active authentication where applicable. - Check the failure stage: note whether 401 appears during browser sign-in, at the callback, or on a later request. For a callback that cannot complete in a remote environment, use Anthropic’s manual URL-and-code flow.
- Confirm the account or provider: for subscription login, make sure the intended account is selected. For Bedrock or Vertex, check the relevant cloud identity, project, and region configuration.
- Run diagnostics: run
claude doctorfrom a normal shell and keep the exact error text and request ID. Anthropic recommends these details for troubleshooting. - Escalate with context: if the documented checks do not resolve it, provide the CLI version, authentication mode, exact error, and request ID to Anthropic support or the project’s feedback channel.
When login or logout commands also return 401
Two GitHub reports describe cases where recovery itself failed: issue #33811 reports 401 errors affecting login, logout, and other commands and is marked closed as a duplicate; issue #44930 describes a login attempt returning 401 without starting a browser flow. These are individual user reports, not confirmation of a current widespread defect or a guaranteed fix. If your recovery commands fail too, capture the command, CLI version, authentication mode, exact response, and request ID rather than assuming the reports identify your cause. GitHub issue #33811 GitHub issue #44930
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What not to assume
- A 401 alone does not prove that an OAuth refresh token expired.
- A login prompt does not prove that login is the only credential path in use; an environment API key or cloud-provider credentials may be active.
- The two GitHub reports do not establish how common the failure is or show that one workaround applies to everyone.
- The cited guidance does not establish a universal token-reset command or make deleting a local credentials file a safe general remedy.
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