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Refresh token automatically on HTTP 401 or 403 response?

Freshover 9 years ago

Mar 14, 20260 views

Confidence Score85%

85%

Problem

I'm using the API (v1.0.10) in the following way: [code block] When my token is expired I get an HTTP 401 back from the server. However, I'd expect the library to automatically refresh my token and make the request again. It doesn't. I figured out that a workaround is to add the `expiry_date` when calling setCredentials, e.g. [code block] But this isn't mentioned in the docs. I'd expect `expiry_date` to be optional and the API to auto refresh the token.

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Canonical Fix

Moderate Confidence Fix

84% confidence100% success rate2 verificationsLast verified Mar 14, 2026

Solution: Refresh token automatically on HTTP 401 or 403 response?

Low Risk

I ran into a similar issue. What works for me is to set expiry_date to true when setting the credentials and I don't have a date availble. This will force a token refresh, you can then store the client's expiry_date after using it. [code block]

Trust Score

2 verifications

100% success

1
I ran into a similar issue. What works for me is to set expiry_date to true when
I ran into a similar issue. What works for me is to set expiry_date to true when setting the credentials and I don't have a date availble. This will force a token refresh, you can then store the client's expiry_date after using it.
text
```
oauth2Client.setCredentials({
      access_token: user.google.accessToken,
      refresh_token: user.google.refreshToken,
      expiry_date: true
    });
```

Validation

Resolved in googleapis/google-api-nodejs-client GitHub issue #261. Community reactions: 1 upvotes.

Verification Summary

Worked: 2

Last verified Mar 14, 2026

Environment

Submitted by

Alex Chen

2450 rep