Error When Retrieving Token from Token Has Expired and Refresh Failed FIX

The error “token has expired and refresh failed” signifies that an access token, used for authentication, has become invalid, and the system was unable to automatically obtain a new one using a refresh token.

This typically occurs in scenarios involving Single Sign-On (SSO) or OAuth 2.0 authentication flows.

🔧 Common Causes & Fixes:

1. Token Expired & No Refresh Token Available

• The access token has expired (which is normal after a few minutes or hours), and the app couldn’t refresh it because:

  • The refresh token also expired

  • The refresh token was missing or invalid

  • Session expired on the identity provider (e.g. Azure AD, Okta)

✅ Fix:

• Log out and log back in to initiate a fresh login session and get new tokens.

• If you’re a developer: make sure your app stores and uses the refresh token properly.

2. SSO Session Timed Out

• If you haven’t used the service in a while, your session with the SSO provider (e.g. Microsoft, Google, Okta, etc.) might have timed out.

✅ Fix:

• Re-authenticate manually by logging in again.

• Check your SSO provider’s session timeout settings

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3. Refresh Token Revoked

• Sometimes, refresh tokens are revoked due to:

  • Password change

  • Security policy update

  • Manual admin action

✅ Fix:

• Re-login manually.

• If this happens often, check with your IT/admin/security team.

4. Clock Skew

• If your system time is significantly off, token validation might fail due to time mismatch.

✅ Fix:

• Ensure your device or server is syncing time with a reliable NTP server.

5. SSO Service Down or Misconfigured

• Sometimes the SSO provider’s endpoint is down or misconfigured, causing refresh failures.

✅ Fix:

• Check the SSO provider’s status page (e.g. Azure AD, Okta, etc.).

• Try again later or contact IT support.

🛠️ Developer Notes (if applicable):

If you’re building or maintaining the app:

• Verify that the app is properly storing the refresh token

• Ensure you’re handling 401 Unauthorized responses and triggering re-authentication properly

• Use a valid client_id and client_secret if required for token refresh