Git Push Does Not Work – Error 500 “Access Denied. The Provided Password or Token is Incorrect…”?

Are you tired of seeing this frustrating error message every time you try to push your code to GitHub? Do you feel like you’ve tried every possible solution, but nothing seems to work? Well, worry no more! In this article, we’ll dive deep into the world of Git and GitHub to help you resolve this pesky issue once and for all.

Understanding the Error

Before we dive into the solutions, let’s take a closer look at the error message itself. “Access denied. The provided password or token is incorrect…” – this error typically occurs when there’s an issue with your GitHub credentials or token. But what does that even mean?

When you try to push your code to GitHub, Git uses your credentials to authenticate with the GitHub server. If your credentials are invalid or incorrect, GitHub will deny access, resulting in the dreaded Error 500. This error can occur due to a variety of reasons, including:

• Incorrect username or password
• Expired or invalid GitHub token
• Mismatched credentials between Git and GitHub
• GitHub rate limiting (yes, it’s a thing!)

Solution 1: Check Your Credentials

The simplest solution is often the most effective. Make sure your GitHub username and password are correct and up-to-date. Yes, it’s easy to overlook, but typos happen!

Open your Git Bash or command prompt and type the following command to verify your credentials:

git config credential.helper

This command will display your current credential helper. If you see a message stating “store” or “osxkeychain”, it means your credentials are stored securely on your system. If not, you might need to update your Git configuration.

Solution 2: Update Your GitHub Token

If you’re using a GitHub token instead of your password, it’s possible that the token has expired or is invalid. To update your token, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your GitHub account and navigate to https://github.com/settings/tokens
2. Click on “Generate new token” and select the permissions you want to grant
3. Copy the new token and update your Git configuration using the following command:

git config --global credential.helper store

Then, add the new token to your Git configuration:

git config --global github.token YOUR_NEW_TOKEN

Solution 3: Verify Your Git Configuration

Sometimes, the issue lies in your Git configuration. Make sure your Git username and email match your GitHub credentials. You can check your Git configuration using the following command:

git config --list

If you see any discrepancies, update your Git configuration using the following commands:

git config --global user.name "YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME"
git config --global user.email "YOUR_GITHUB_EMAIL"

Solution 4: Disable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

If you have 2FA enabled on your GitHub account, it might be interfering with your Git pushes. Try disabling 2FA temporarily to see if it resolves the issue. You can do this by:

Navigate to https://github.com/settings/security and toggle off “Two-factor authentication”.

Solution 5: Check GitHub Rate Limiting

GitHub has rate limits in place to prevent abuse and spamming. If you’ve exceeded these limits, you might see the Error 500 message. You can check your rate limits using the following API call:

curl -u YOUR_GITHUB_USERNAME:YOUR_GITHUB_PASSWORD https://api.github.com/rate_limit

If you’ve hit the rate limit, try waiting for a while or optimizing your Git workflow to reduce the number of requests.

Solution 6: Clear Your Git Credentials

Sometimes, clearing your Git credentials can resolve the issue. You can do this using the following command:

git credential-manager delete https://github.com

Then, try pushing your code again to see if it works.

Solution 7: Update Your Git Version

If you’re running an older version of Git, it might be causing issues with GitHub authentication. Update your Git version to the latest one using the following command:

git update-git-for-windows

(or brew upgrade git if you’re on a Mac)

Conclusion

Error 500 “Access denied. The provided password or token is incorrect…” can be frustrating, but it’s often a simple issue to resolve. By following these solutions, you should be able to identify and fix the problem, getting your Git pushes working again in no time. Remember to:

• Check your credentials
• Update your GitHub token
• Verify your Git configuration
• Disable Two-Factor Authentication (if necessary)
• Check GitHub rate limiting
• Clear your Git credentials
• Update your Git version

Happy coding, and may your Git pushes be smooth and error-free from now on!

Solution	Description
Check Credentials	Verify your GitHub username and password
Update GitHub Token	Generate a new GitHub token and update your Git configuration
Verify Git Configuration	Check your Git username, email, and token configuration
Disable 2FA	Temporarily disable Two-Factor Authentication on GitHub
Check Rate Limiting	Verify your GitHub rate limits and adjust your Git workflow
Delete your Git credentials and try pushing again
Update Git Version	Update your Git version to the latest one

By following these solutions, you’ll be well on your way to resolving the Error 500 “Access denied. The provided password or token is incorrect…” issue and getting back to coding with confidence!

Frequently Asked Question

Stuck with the frustrating “Access denied” error when trying to push your code to Git? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!