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n8n Google node 401: why the credential stopped working after a week, and the fix

You see: 401 Unauthorized ยท Google credential

What it means

The Google credential n8n holds no longer gives a valid token. The most common cause: the Google Cloud OAuth app is External with its publishing status set to Testing, and Google expires consent and tokens for testing apps after seven days. Changed scopes or a disabled API do the same.

How to fix it

  1. Open the failing node's error to see which Google service refused it, then open that credential in n8n (Credentials).
  2. Click to reconnect (sign in with Google again) and allow every permission it asks for.
  3. In Google Cloud, check that the API the node uses (Gmail, Sheets, Drive...) is enabled for the project the credential belongs to.
  4. Back in the workflow, select the reconnected credential on the node and run it once to confirm.

If it keeps coming back

To stop the weekly expiry, move the OAuth app out of Testing (publish it in Google Cloud's OAuth consent screen), or use an Internal app inside a Google Workspace organisation.

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