How to fix fatal: credential helper did not return password in Git

GitBEGINNERMEDIUM

Git's credential helper failed to provide authentication credentials for a remote operation. This typically occurs when the configured credential helper cannot find stored credentials, is misconfigured, or when cached credentials have expired.

What this error means

When you see "fatal: credential helper did not return password", Git is telling you that it asked a configured credential helper program for authentication credentials, but the helper failed to provide a password or token. Git credential helpers are external programs that store and retrieve authentication credentials so you don't have to type them every time. Common helpers include: - **credential-cache**: Stores credentials in memory temporarily (default 15 minutes) - **credential-store**: Stores credentials in a plain-text file (~/.git-credentials) - **credential-manager** (Windows): Uses Windows Credential Manager - **osxkeychain** (macOS): Uses macOS Keychain - **libsecret** (Linux): Uses the GNOME Keyring or similar This error means the helper was invoked but returned empty-handed. The credential helper might not have any stored credentials for that repository, the stored credentials may have been deleted or expired, or the helper program itself may be misconfigured or missing.

How to fix "fatal: credential helper did not return password"

1Check which credential helper is configured

First, identify what credential helper Git is trying to use:

bash

# Check all credential helper settings
git config --list | grep credential

# Check specific scopes
git config --global credential.helper
git config --system credential.helper
git config --local credential.helper

If nothing is returned, no credential helper is configured and Git will prompt for credentials each time. If multiple helpers are listed, Git tries each in order until one returns credentials.

2Configure an appropriate credential helper for your OS

Set up a credential helper based on your operating system:

Windows:

bash

git config --global credential.helper manager
# For older Git versions (before 2.39):
git config --global credential.helper manager-core

macOS:

bash

git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain

Linux:

bash

# Use libsecret (GNOME Keyring) - most secure
git config --global credential.helper /usr/share/doc/git/contrib/credential/libsecret/git-credential-libsecret

# Or use the cache helper (stores in memory for 15 minutes)
git config --global credential.helper cache

# Or use the store helper (stores in plain text - less secure)
git config --global credential.helper store

3Clear old credentials and re-authenticate

Remove any stale or incorrect credentials:

Using Git's credential reject command:

bash

# Clear credentials for a specific host
echo "url=https://github.com" | git credential reject
echo "url=https://gitlab.com" | git credential reject

Windows Credential Manager:
1. Open Control Panel > Credential Manager
2. Select "Windows Credentials"
3. Find entries starting with "git:" or containing your Git host
4. Click the entry and select "Remove"

macOS Keychain:

bash

# Remove from Keychain via command line
security delete-internet-password -s github.com
# Or open Keychain Access app and search for github.com

Linux (~/.git-credentials file):

bash

# View current credentials
cat ~/.git-credentials

# Remove specific entry or delete the file
rm ~/.git-credentials

After clearing, the next Git operation will prompt for new credentials.

4Generate a new Personal Access Token (for GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket)

Most Git hosting services now require Personal Access Tokens (PATs) instead of passwords:

GitHub:
1. Go to Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens > Tokens (classic)
2. Click "Generate new token"
3. Select scopes: at minimum repo for private repos
4. Copy the token immediately (you won't see it again)

GitLab:
1. Go to User Settings > Access Tokens
2. Create a token with read_repository and write_repository scopes

When prompted by Git:

bash

git push origin main
Username: your-username
Password: <paste your PAT here, not your account password>

The credential helper will store this token for future use.

5Store credentials manually if helper prompts aren't working

You can manually store credentials using the credential helper:

bash

# Interactive method - stores whatever you type
git credential approve <<EOF
protocol=https
host=github.com
username=your-username
password=your-token-or-password
EOF

Or directly in the store file (less secure):

bash

# Add to ~/.git-credentials
echo "https://username:[email protected]" >> ~/.git-credentials

Important: Never commit credentials to your repository. The .git-credentials file should only exist in your home directory.

6Fix permission issues with credential store file

If using the store helper, ensure proper file permissions:

bash

# Check current permissions
ls -la ~/.git-credentials

# Set restrictive permissions (owner read/write only)
chmod 600 ~/.git-credentials

# Verify ownership
chown $USER ~/.git-credentials

If the file doesn't exist but should:

bash

touch ~/.git-credentials
chmod 600 ~/.git-credentials

7Debug credential helper issues

Enable Git's credential debugging to see what's happening:

bash

# Set debug environment variable
export GIT_TRACE=1
export GCM_TRACE=1  # For Git Credential Manager

# Run the failing command
git push origin main

You can also test the credential helper directly:

bash

# Test if helper can retrieve credentials
echo "protocol=https
host=github.com" | git credential fill

# Should output username and password if credentials exist

If this returns nothing or errors, the helper has no stored credentials for that host.

8Reset credential helper configuration

If credential helpers are conflicting or corrupted, reset and reconfigure:

bash

# Remove all credential helper configs
git config --global --unset-all credential.helper
git config --system --unset-all credential.helper 2>/dev/null

# Verify it's cleared
git config --list | grep credential

# Set up fresh
git config --global credential.helper store  # Or your preferred helper

For Git Credential Manager issues on Windows:

bash

# Reinstall GCM
winget install Git.Git
# During installation, ensure "Git Credential Manager" is selected

How to fix fatal: credential helper did not return password in Git

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