HTTP 401 Unauthorized

What this status code means

Unauthorized describes how the server processed the request and what the client should do next.

Who should act first

Client request or identity context is usually the first place to fix.

What to check first

• Capture exact request path, method, and headers.
• Verify authentication and authorization context.
• Validate payload schema and content type.

How it differs from similar codes

• HTTP 400 Bad Request — full guide
• HTTP 402 Payment Required — full guide

Reference and next step

Specification: RFC 9110.

Read the full troubleshooting guide for HTTP 401 · Open the 4xx hub · Compare adjacent codes