Google Synchronization throws 401 for Google Photos Sync

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The Basics

  • Nextcloud Server version (e.g., 29.x.x):
    • 31.0.0 - 31.0.0.18
  • Operating system and version (e.g., Ubuntu 24.04):
    • Linux 6.14.6-1-cachyos #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC x86_64
  • Web server and version (e.g, Apache 2.4.25):
    • Apache/2.4.63
  • Reverse proxy and version _(e.g. nginx 1.27.2)
    • None
  • PHP version (e.g, 8.3):
    • 8.3.20
  • Is this the first time you’ve seen this error? (Yes / No):
    • Yes
  • When did this problem seem to first start?
    • May 5th, 2025
  • Installation method (e.g. AlO, NCP, Bare Metal/Archive, etc.)
    • AIO
  • Are you using CloudfIare, mod_security, or similar? (Yes / No)
    • No

Summary of the issue you are facing:

Google Photos Synchronization fails with:

Failed to get number of Google photos: Request failed with status code 401

Steps to replicate it (hint: details matter!):

  1. Go to Administration Settings
  2. Go to Google Synchronization
  3. Sign in with Google

Log entries

Nextcloud

Please provide the log entries from your Nextcloud log that are generated during the time of problem (via the Copy raw option from Administration settings->Logging screen or from your nextcloud.log located in your data directory). Feel free to use a pastebin/gist service if necessary.

[google_synchronization] Warning: Google API ServerException|ClientException error : Client error: `GET https://photoslibrary.googleapis.com/v1/albums?pageSize=50` resulted in a `403 Forbidden` response:
{
  "error": {
    "code": 403,
    "message": "Request had insufficient authentication scopes.",
    "status": "PERMISS (truncated...)
 status code: 403 body: {
  "error": {
    "code": 403,
    "message": "Request had insufficient authentication scopes.",
    "status": "PERMISSION_DENIED"
  }
}

	GET /apps/google_synchronization/photo-number
	from 167.179.152.147 by admin at 23 May 2025, 5:30:34 pm

Web Browser

If the problem is related to the Web interface, open your browser inspector Console and Network tabs while refreshing (reloading) and reproducing the problem. Provide any relevant output/errors here that appear.

N/A

Web server / Reverse Proxy

The output of your Apache/nginx/system log in /var/log/____:

N/A

Configuration

Nextcloud

The output of occ config:list system or similar is best, but, if not possible, the contents of your config.php file from /path/to/nextcloud is fine (make sure to remove any identifiable information!):

{
    "system": {
        "one-click-instance": true,
        "one-click-instance.user-limit": 100,
        "memcache.local": "\\OC\\Memcache\\APCu",
        "apps_paths": [
            {
                "path": "\/var\/www\/html\/apps",
                "url": "\/apps",
                "writable": false
            },
            {
                "path": "\/var\/www\/html\/custom_apps",
                "url": "\/custom_apps",
                "writable": true
            }
        ],
        "appsallowlist": false,
        "check_data_directory_permissions": false,
        "memcache.distributed": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",
        "memcache.locking": "\\OC\\Memcache\\Redis",
        "redis": {
            "host": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
            "password": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
            "port": 6379
        },
        "overwritehost": "REMOVED",
        "overwriteprotocol": "https",
        "passwordsalt": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "secret": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "trusted_domains": [
            "localhost",
            "REMOVED"
        ],
        "datadirectory": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbtype": "pgsql",
        "version": "31.0.0.18",
        "overwrite.cli.url": "REMOVED",
        "dbname": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbhost": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbport": "",
        "dbtableprefix": "oc_",
        "dbuser": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "dbpassword": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "installed": true,
        "instanceid": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "maintenance": false,
        "loglevel": 2,
        "log_type": "file",
        "logfile": "\/var\/www\/html\/data\/nextcloud.log",
        "log_rotate_size": 10485760,
        "log.condition": {
            "apps": [
                "admin_audit"
            ]
        },
        "preview_max_x": 1024,
        "preview_max_y": 1024,
        "jpeg_quality": 60,
        "enabledPreviewProviders": [
            "OC\\Preview\\TXT",
            "OC\\Preview\\OpenDocument",
            "OC\\Preview\\Movie",
            "OC\\Preview\\Krita",
            "OC\\Preview\\ImaginaryPDF",
            "OC\\Preview\\TIFF",
            "OC\\Preview\\ImaginaryPDF",
            "OC\\Preview\\Image",
            "OC\\Preview\\ImaginaryPDF"
        ],
        "enable_previews": true,
        "upgrade.disable-web": true,
        "mail_smtpmode": "smtp",
        "trashbin_retention_obligation": "auto, 30",
        "versions_retention_obligation": "auto, 30",
        "activity_expire_days": 30,
        "simpleSignUpLink.shown": false,
        "share_folder": "\/Shared",
        "one-click-instance.link": "https:\/\/nextcloud.com\/all-in-one\/",
        "upgrade.cli-upgrade-link": "https:\/\/github.com\/nextcloud\/all-in-one\/discussions\/2726",
        "updatedirectory": "\/nc-updater",
        "maintenance_window_start": 100,
        "allow_local_remote_servers": true,
        "davstorage.request_timeout": 3600,
        "htaccess.RewriteBase": "\/",
        "dbpersistent": false,
        "auth.bruteforce.protection.enabled": true,
        "ratelimit.protection.enabled": true,
        "files_external_allow_create_new_local": true,
        "trusted_proxies": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "preview_imaginary_key": "***REMOVED SENSITIVE VALUE***",
        "memories.db.triggers.fcu": true,
        "memories.exiftool": "\/var\/www\/html\/custom_apps\/memories\/bin-ext\/exiftool-amd64-musl",
        "memories.vod.path": "\/var\/www\/html\/custom_apps\/memories\/bin-ext\/go-vod-amd64",
        "memories.vod.ffmpeg": "\/usr\/bin\/ffmpeg",
        "memories.vod.ffprobe": "\/usr\/bin\/ffprobe",
        "documentation_url.server_logs": "https:\/\/github.com\/nextcloud\/all-in-one\/discussions\/5425",
        "app_install_overwrite": {
            "1": "nextbackup",
            "3": "nextcloud-aio",
            "4": "google_synchronization",
            "5": "camerarawpreviews",
            "6": "breezedark",
            "7": "duplicatefinder",
            "9": "integration_homeassistant",
            "10": "maps"
        },
        "updater.release.channel": "beta",
        "enforce_theme": "dark",
        "memories.gis_type": 2,
        "memory_limit": "1024M",
        "memory_limit=1024M": "",
        "preview_max_memory": 2048,
        "preview_max_filesize_image": 64,
        "memories.vod.disable": false,
        "memories.vod.nvenc": true,
        "memories.vod.nvenc.temporal_aq": true,
        "DOMAIN": "REMOVED"
    }
}

Apps

Enabled:
  - admin_audit: 1.21.0
  - breezedark: 29.0.0
  - bruteforcesettings: 4.0.0
  - camerarawpreviews: 0.8.7
  - cloud_federation_api: 1.14.0
  - cloud_py_api: 0.2.0
  - dashboard: 7.11.0
  - dav: 1.33.0
  - federatedfilesharing: 1.21.0
  - files: 2.3.1
  - files_automatedtagging: 2.0.0
  - files_external: 1.23.0
  - files_sharing: 1.23.1
  - files_trashbin: 1.21.0
  - files_versions: 1.24.0
  - firstrunwizard: 4.0.0
  - google_synchronization: 3.0.0
  - integration_github: 3.2.1
  - integration_homeassistant: 0.0.6
  - logreader: 4.0.0
  - lookup_server_connector: 1.19.0
  - maps: 1.6.0
  - nextcloud-aio: 0.7.0
  - nextcloud_announcements: 3.0.0
  - notes: 4.12.0
  - notifications: 4.0.0
  - notify_push: 1.1.0
  - oauth2: 1.19.1
  - photos: 4.0.0-dev.1
  - previewgenerator: 5.8.0
  - profile: 1.0.0
  - provisioning_api: 1.21.0
  - quicknotes: 0.8.30
  - related_resources: 2.0.0
  - serverinfo: 3.0.0
  - settings: 1.14.0
  - support: 3.0.0
  - theming: 2.6.1
  - twofactor_backupcodes: 1.20.0
  - updatenotification: 1.21.0
  - viewer: 4.0.0
  - weather_status: 1.11.0
  - welcome: 1.2.1
  - workflowengine: 2.13.0

The output of occ app:list (if possible).

1 Like

Hello Community,

Any ideas on what is causing the 401 for Google Photos? I have tried reconnecting several times. No changes at Google account end.

Thanks.

Hello,

I have the same problem.

Have you found a solution ?