The 401 HTTP Status Code means that the request is unauthorized which indicates that the client request was not completed because the client did not provide valid authentication credentials for the requested resource. This Status Code is accompanied by an HTTP WWW-Authenticate response header that specifies how the client can re-request the resource after prompting the user for authentication credentials. It’s a bit like the 403 Forbidden Status Code, except that user authentication can allow access to the resource in some cases. The CONNECT HTTP Method is used in the 401 HTTP Status Code. The 400 HTTP Status Code indicates that the server was unable to interpret the request because of an inaccurate syntax, while the 401 HTTP Status Code indicates that the server needs to authenticate the client before it can access a resource.
What does 401 HTTP Status Code Mean?
The 401 HTTP Status Code which means unauthorized is returned when the server refuses to respond to a request because the client authentication required to access the resources is missing.
How to Use 401 HTTP Status Code for a Website?
To use the 401 HTTP Status Code, the server must authorize the client before it may access a resource.
How to Check 401 HTTP Status Code?
To check 401 HTTP Status Code Unauthorized Errors are listed below.
- Check The URL: Verifying the URL and correcting any errors will resolve the 401 error status.
- Flush the DNS: DNS errors can also result in a 401 error status. As a result, clearing the DNS will also resolve this issue. In Windows, you can flush the DNS by typing ipconfig/flushdns and pressing ENTER.
- Clear Browser Cookie: In some cases, cookies may fail to function properly, resulting in improper server authentication. Thus, the error can be corrected by clearing the cookies.
- Logging out and Logging in again: Refreshing the website and logging in with the same credentials may also resolve this error.
- Website mistake: Occasionally, even if all of the above are correct, you will receive the 401 Unauthorized Error, which is a website error. At that point, you should contact the website’s webmaster and inform them of the server’s downtime.
Which HTTP Method is used with 401 HTTP Status Code?
The HTTP methods that are used with the 401 HTTP Status Codes are given below.
- POST HTTP Method: The POST HTTP method is used in the 401 HTTP Response Status code. The POST method sends an entity to the specified resource, frequently resulting in a change in the server’s state or side effects.
- GET HTTP Method: The GET HTTP method is used in the 401 HTTP Response Status code. The GET method is used to get a representation of a resource. Requests made with the GET method should only return data.
What are the Related HTTP Response Headers with 401 HTTP Status Code?
The related HTTP Response Headers with 401 HTTP Status Code are listed below.
- HTTP Authentication: The 401 HTTP Status Code is related with the HTTP Authentication which gives a general framework for how to control and authenticate access.
- WWW-Authenticate HTTP Header: The 401 HTTP Status Code is related with the WWW-Authenticate HTTP Header which describes the HTTP authentication methods (referred to as “challenges”) that may be used to get access to a certain resource.
- Authorization HTTP Header: The 401 HTTP Status Code is related to the Authorization HTTP Header that can be used to authenticate a user agent with a server, granting access to a protected resource.
- Proxy-Authorization HTTP Header: The 401 HTTP Status Code is related with the Proxy-Authorization HTTP Header which holds the credentials required to authenticate a user agent against a proxy server, typically after the server responds with a 407 Proxy Authentication Required Status Code and the Proxy-Authenticate HTTP Header.
- Proxy-Authenticate HTTP Header: The 401 HTTP Status Code is related with the Proxy-Authenticate HTTP Header thet defines the authentication method that should be utilized to acquire access to a resource that is being accessed through a proxy server. It authenticates the request and authorizes the proxy server to relay it farther.
What are the Browsers Compatibility of 401 HTTP Status Code?
You can see the table that shows the browser’s compatibility of the 401 HTTP Status Code below.
| Browsers Name | Browser Compatibility of 401 HTTP Status Code |
| Chrome | YES |
| Edge | YES |
| Firefox | YES |
| Internet Explorer | YES |
| Opera | YES |
| Safari | YES |
| WebView Android | YES |
What are the other Similar Status Codes to 401 HTTP Status Code?
There are other similar HTTP Status Codes to the 401 HTTP Status Code. The following are listed below.
- 403 Forbidden HTTP Status Code: The 403 HTTP Status Code is similar to the 401 HTTP Status Code because they are both client error responses. The 403 HTTP Status Code indicates that the client lacks access permissions to the material; in other words, it is unauthorized, and so the server will not provide the requested resource. Unlike 401 Unauthorized, the server is aware of the client’s identity.
- 404 Not Found HTTP Status Code: The 404 HTTP Status Code is similar to the 401 HTTP Status Code because they are both client error responses. The 404 HTTP Status Code indicates that the server has been unable to locate the requested resource. This indicates that the URL is not recognized by the browser. This can also signify that the endpoint is correct but the resource does not exist in the API. Additionally, servers may use this response rather than 403 Forbidden to conceal the existence of a resource from an unauthorized client. Due to its frequent presence on the web, this response code is likely the most well-known.
- 405 Method Not Allowed HTTP Status Code: The 405 HTTP Status Code is similar to the 401 HTTP Status Code because they are both client error responses. The 405 HTTP Status Code indicates that the server is aware of the request method but the target resource does not support it. For instance, an API may not permit the use of DELETE to delete a resource.
- 407 Proxy-Authentication Required HTTP Status Code: The 407 HTTP Status Code is similar to the 401 HTTP Status Code because they are both client error responses. The 407 HTTP Status Code indicates that authentication must be performed through a proxy.
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