The 'credential-manager-core was not found' error occurs when Git's configuration references the deprecated credential helper name. Git Credential Manager was renamed from 'manager-core' to 'manager' in late 2022, and older configurations need to be updated.
This error indicates that Git is trying to use a credential helper called "credential-manager-core" but cannot find it because the helper has been renamed. In November 2022, Git Credential Manager (GCM) version 2.0.866 renamed the executable from `git-credential-manager-core` to simply `git-credential-manager`. Similarly, the credential helper configuration changed from `manager-core` to just `manager`. If your Git configuration still references the old name, you'll see this fatal error. This commonly happens after upgrading Git for Windows, reinstalling Git, or when using a configuration that was set up with an older version of Git Credential Manager.
The simplest fix is to update your Git configuration to use the new credential helper name:
# Update global configuration to use 'manager' instead of 'manager-core'
git config --global credential.helper managerThis single command should resolve the error in most cases. After running it, try your Git operation again:
git fetch originIf the error persists, continue to the next steps to check for configuration in other locations.
Git configuration can exist at multiple levels. Check all of them:
# Show all credential.helper settings with their source files
git config --list --show-origin | grep credential
# Check for multiple credential helper values
git config --get-all credential.helperYou might see output like:
file:C:/Program Files/Git/etc/gitconfig credential.helper=manager-core
file:C:/Users/YourName/.gitconfig credential.helper=manager-coreThis shows exactly which configuration files contain the outdated setting.
If the outdated setting is in the system config, you need administrator privileges to fix it:
On Windows (run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator):
git config --system credential.helper managerOr edit the file directly:
The system config is typically located at:
- C:\Program Files\Git\etc\gitconfig
- C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\etc\gitconfig
Open the file in a text editor (as Administrator) and change:
[credential]
helper = manager-coreTo:
[credential]
helper = managerIf you have multiple conflicting settings, it's cleanest to remove them all and start fresh:
# Remove from global config
git config --global --unset-all credential.helper
# Remove from system config (requires admin privileges)
git config --system --unset-all credential.helper
# Now set the correct helper
git config --global credential.helper managerVerify the configuration:
git config --get-all credential.helper
# Should output: managerIf you're using Git in WSL2 and want to use Windows Git Credential Manager, update the path:
Old (broken) configuration:
git config --global credential.helper "/mnt/c/Program\ Files/Git/mingw64/libexec/git-core/git-credential-manager-core.exe"New (correct) configuration:
git config --global credential.helper "/mnt/c/Program\ Files/Git/mingw64/bin/git-credential-manager.exe"Or use the simpler path if Git for Windows is in your PATH:
git config --global credential.helper "git-credential-manager.exe"Alternatively, install GCM natively in WSL:
# Download the latest .deb from GitHub releases
wget https://github.com/git-ecosystem/git-credential-manager/releases/latest/download/gcm-linux_amd64.deb
# Install
sudo dpkg -i gcm-linux_amd64.deb
# Configure
git-credential-manager configureIf the credential manager is not installed at all, install it:
On Windows:
Download and install the latest Git for Windows from [git-scm.com](https://git-scm.com/download/win). During installation, select "Git Credential Manager" when prompted for credential helper options.
Using standalone installer:
Download Git Credential Manager directly from:
https://github.com/git-ecosystem/git-credential-manager/releases
On macOS:
brew install git-credential-manager
git-credential-manager configureOn Linux:
# Download latest release
wget https://github.com/git-ecosystem/git-credential-manager/releases/latest/download/gcm-linux_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i gcm-linux_amd64.deb
git-credential-manager configureAfter applying the fix, verify everything is working:
# Check current credential helper
git config credential.helper
# Should output: manager
# Test the credential manager directly
git credential-manager --version
# Should show version like: 2.4.1
# Test authentication by fetching from a remote
git fetch originIf you can fetch without the error, the fix is complete.
If you still see errors:
# Check for any remaining old configuration
git config --list --show-origin | grep -i credential
# Enable verbose output to debug credential issues
GIT_TRACE=1 git fetch origin 2>&1 | grep credential### Understanding the Credential Manager Rename
Git Credential Manager went through a significant rename in late 2022:
| Component | Old Name (Deprecated) | New Name (Current) |
|-----------|----------------------|-------------------|
| Executable | git-credential-manager-core.exe | git-credential-manager.exe |
| Config helper | manager-core | manager |
| Package name | git-credential-manager-core | git-credential-manager |
The -core suffix was originally added when GCM was rewritten as a cross-platform .NET application to distinguish it from the legacy Windows-only version. Once the new version became the standard, the suffix was dropped.
### Git for Windows Bundled Version
Git for Windows bundles Git Credential Manager. The bundled version was updated to the renamed version starting with:
- Git for Windows 2.39.0 (December 2022)
If you installed Git for Windows before this version and later upgraded, your configuration might still reference the old name.
### Configuration Precedence
Git applies configuration in this order (later overrides earlier):
1. System: /etc/gitconfig or C:\Program Files\Git\etc\gitconfig
2. Global: ~/.gitconfig or %USERPROFILE%\.gitconfig
3. Local: .git/config in the repository
4. Worktree: .git/config.worktree
A credential.helper=manager-core in system config will cause the error even if global config has the correct manager setting.
### CI/CD Pipelines
If you encounter this error in CI/CD pipelines:
GitHub Actions:
- name: Configure Git credentials
run: |
git config --global credential.helper managerAzure DevOps:
The Azure Pipelines agent images are regularly updated. If you pinned an older image version, consider updating or explicitly setting the credential helper.
### Caching Credentials Without GCM
If you don't need Git Credential Manager's features (OAuth, Azure AD, multi-account support), you can use simpler alternatives:
# Cache in memory for 1 hour
git config --global credential.helper 'cache --timeout=3600'
# Store in plain text file (less secure)
git config --global credential.helper store
# On macOS, use Keychain
git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain### Using SSH Instead
To avoid credential helper issues entirely, switch to SSH authentication:
# Change remote from HTTPS to SSH
git remote set-url origin [email protected]:username/repository.git
# Verify
git remote -vSSH uses key-based authentication managed by ssh-agent, which doesn't require a Git credential helper.
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