Introduction

This message usually appears when a service no longer accepts an account password for command-line access. Developers most often see it during Git operations over HTTPS, where the hosting platform now expects a personal access token or an SSH key instead of the account password. The command is usually fine; the authentication method is what changed.

What the Error Actually Means

If you see this message during git clone, git pull, or git push, the remote has already recognized the repository and the username. What it rejected is password-based authentication itself.

For example:

git clone https://github.com/example-org/project.git

Older workflows prompted for:

• username
• account password

Modern hosting services often reject that password even when it is correct. The accepted replacements are usually:

• a personal access token for HTTPS
• an SSH key for SSH remotes
• a credential manager that stores one of those securely

The security reason is straightforward: passwords are broad and reusable, while tokens and SSH keys are easier to scope, rotate, and revoke.

Fix Option 1: Stay on HTTPS and Use a Token

If you want to keep the HTTPS remote, create a personal access token in the hosting-service settings and use that token where you used to type the password.

First check which protocol the repository is using:

git remote -v

If the output shows https://..., the URL itself often stays the same. The difference is the credential you provide when Git prompts.

It is also worth enabling a credential helper so you do not paste the token repeatedly:

git config --global credential.helper osxkeychain

The helper name varies by platform, but the idea is the same: store the token securely instead of storing the account password or pasting the token every time.

Fix Option 2: Switch to SSH

SSH is often the cleaner long-term option for developers who use Git heavily from the terminal.

Generate a key pair:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

Add it to the SSH agent:

eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Copy the public key:

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

After adding that public key to the hosting platform, switch the remote:

git remote set-url origin [email protected]:example-org/project.git

Then test the connection:

ssh -T [email protected]

If the key is registered correctly, future pushes and pulls use SSH instead of password prompts.

Choose the Method That Fits the Workflow

HTTPS plus a token is often a good fit when:

• the company already standardizes on HTTPS and credential managers
• a corporate proxy makes SSH inconvenient
• you want to minimize changes to existing remote URLs

SSH is often a better fit when:

• you work from the terminal all day
• you manage many repositories
• you want fewer interactive prompts once the key is installed

For automation, do not use a human account password at all. Use deploy keys, CI secrets, or platform-specific tokens with the narrowest scope you can.

Common Pitfalls

• Creating a token and then continuing to type the old account password by habit.
• Forgetting to check git remote -v and debugging the wrong protocol.
• Generating an SSH key locally but never uploading the public key to the hosting service.
• Storing tokens directly in shell history, plain text notes, or hard-coded URLs.
• Mixing HTTPS and SSH across repositories without tracking which authentication flow each repo expects.

Summary

• The message means the remote service rejected password-based authentication, not necessarily your username.
• The common replacements are a personal access token for HTTPS or an SSH key for SSH.
• 'git remote -v tells you which protocol the repository is using right now.'
• Credential helpers make token-based HTTPS workflows safer and less repetitive.
• For regular terminal use, SSH is often the cleanest long-term setup once the key is registered.