Introduction
The Git error "Please make sure you have the correct access rights and the repository exists" appears when Git cannot authenticate with the remote server or the repository URL is wrong. The most common causes are: missing or misconfigured SSH keys, expired personal access tokens, incorrect remote URL, insufficient repository permissions, or network/firewall issues. The fix depends on whether you use SSH or HTTPS authentication.
Fix 1: Check and Add SSH Keys
1# Check if you have an SSH key
2ls -la ~/.ssh/
3# Look for id_rsa, id_ed25519, or similar key pairs
4
5# If no key exists, generate one
6ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"
7# Press Enter for default location, set a passphrase (optional)
8
9# Start the SSH agent
10eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
11ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
12
13# Copy the public key
14cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
15# Copy the output and add it to your Git provider:
16# GitHub: Settings > SSH and GPG keys > New SSH key
17# GitLab: Preferences > SSH Keys
18# Bitbucket: Personal settings > SSH keys
19
20# Test the connection
21ssh -T [email protected]
22# Expected: "Hi username! You've successfully authenticated..."
23
24ssh -T [email protected]
25ssh -T [email protected]
If ssh -T shows "Permission denied (publickey)", your SSH key is not registered with the Git hosting service.
Fix 2: Check the Remote URL
1# View current remote URLs
2git remote -v
3# origin [email protected]:user/repo.git (fetch)
4# origin [email protected]:user/repo.git (push)
5
6# Common URL format issues:
7# WRONG: [email protected]/user/repo.git (slash instead of colon)
8# RIGHT: [email protected]:user/repo.git (colon after hostname)
9
10# WRONG: https://github.com/user/repo (missing .git)
11# RIGHT: https://github.com/user/repo.git
12
13# Fix the URL
14git remote set-url origin [email protected]:user/repo.git
15
16# Switch from SSH to HTTPS (if SSH is not working)
17git remote set-url origin https://github.com/user/repo.git
18
19# Switch from HTTPS to SSH
20git remote set-url origin [email protected]:user/repo.git
Fix 3: HTTPS Authentication
1# For HTTPS, use a Personal Access Token (PAT) instead of password
2# GitHub deprecated password authentication in August 2021
3
4# Generate a PAT:
5# GitHub: Settings > Developer settings > Personal access tokens > Generate new token
6# Select scopes: repo (full control of private repositories)
7
8# When prompted for password, paste the PAT instead
9git clone https://github.com/user/private-repo.git
10# Username: your-username
11# Password: ghp_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (your PAT)
12
13# Store credentials so you don't have to re-enter them
14git config --global credential.helper store # Stores in plaintext (less secure)
15git config --global credential.helper cache # Caches in memory for 15 min
16git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain # macOS Keychain (recommended)
17
18# On Windows, use Git Credential Manager
19git config --global credential.helper manager
Fix 4: Check Repository Permissions
1# Verify you have access to the repository
2# Try accessing the URL in a browser:
3# https://github.com/user/repo
4
5# Check if the repository is private
6# You need explicit access (collaborator, team member, or fork)
7
8# For organizations, verify your SSO authorization
9# GitHub: Settings > SSH and GPG keys > Enable SSO for the key
10
11# If the repository was renamed or transferred
12git remote set-url origin [email protected]:new-owner/new-name.git
Fix 5: SSH Config for Multiple Accounts
1# ~/.ssh/config
2Host github-personal
3 HostName github.com
4 User git
5 IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_personal
6
7Host github-work
8 HostName github.com
9 User git
10 IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_work
11
12# Use the alias in your remote URL
13git remote set-url origin git@github-personal:user/repo.git
# Debug SSH connection issues
ssh -vT [email protected]
# Shows which key files are tried and where authentication fails
Fix 6: Firewall and Network Issues
1# Test if port 22 (SSH) is blocked
2ssh -T -p 22 [email protected]
3
4# Use SSH over HTTPS port (443) if port 22 is blocked
5# ~/.ssh/config
6Host github.com
7 HostName ssh.github.com
8 Port 443
9 User git
10
11# Test the alternative port
12ssh -T -p 443 [email protected]
13
14# If behind a corporate proxy, configure Git
15git config --global http.proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080
16git config --global https.proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080
Common Pitfalls
SSH key not added to the agent: Even with a valid key file, ssh-add must be run to load it into the SSH agent. On macOS, add AddKeysToAgent yes to ~/.ssh/config for automatic loading.
Using password instead of PAT for HTTPS: GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket no longer accept account passwords for HTTPS Git operations. Generate a Personal Access Token and use it as the password.
Repository URL uses wrong format: SSH URLs use a colon (
[email protected]:user/repo.git), while HTTPS URLs use a slash (
https://github.com/user/repo.git). Mixing formats causes authentication failures.
SSO-enabled organization without authorized key: If a GitHub organization requires SAML SSO, you must explicitly authorize your SSH key or PAT for that organization in your GitHub account settings.
Cached credentials pointing to old token: If you changed your PAT or password, old cached credentials cause auth failures. Clear the credential store (git credential reject) or update it in the OS keychain.
Summary
Check SSH key exists and is added to your Git hosting provider
Verify remote URL format with git remote -v and fix with git remote set-url
Use Personal Access Tokens for HTTPS authentication (passwords are deprecated)
Use SSH config with Host aliases for multiple accounts
Try SSH over port 443 if port 22 is blocked by a firewall
