GitHub "Support for password authentication was removed" in CI
GitHub stopped accepting account passwords for Git operations over HTTPS. A pipeline still sending a password is rejected and told to use a personal access token instead.
What this error means
An HTTPS clone/push fails with remote: Support for password authentication was removed followed by fatal: Authentication failed. It started failing after a credential that used to be a password was no longer accepted.
remote: Support for password authentication was removed on August 13, 2021.
remote: Please see https://docs.github.com/get-started/getting-started-with-git/about-remote-repositories
for information on currently recommended modes of authentication.
fatal: Authentication failed for 'https://github.com/org/repo.git/'Common causes
A raw account password is being sent
The remote URL or credential helper still supplies an account password. GitHub no longer accepts that for Git over HTTPS and rejects the request.
A stored credential predates the token requirement
An old cached credential (in a credential helper or a baked-in URL) holds a password. Until it is replaced with a token, every HTTPS operation fails.
How to fix it
Use a personal access token in place of the password
Supply a PAT (fine-grained or classic) where the password used to go.
git remote set-url origin https://USERNAME:${PAT}@github.com/org/repo.git
# or use the credential helper with the PAT as the "password"Switch to an App/installation token or SSH
- For GitHub Actions same-repo work, use the built-in
GITHUB_TOKEN. - For cross-repo access, mint a short-lived GitHub App installation token.
- Or move the remote to SSH and authenticate with a deploy key.
How to prevent it
- Never use account passwords for Git automation.
- Prefer short-lived App/installation tokens or OIDC for CI.
- Replace any cached password credentials with tokens.