# portal_token_missing

> A request to a portal-authenticated endpoint was made without a portal access token. Provide the session cookie or access token from the portal.

<Danger>`err:unkey:authentication:portal_token_missing`</Danger>

```json Example
{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_2c9a0jf23l4k567"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "A portal session token is required for this request.",
    "status": 401,
    "title": "Unauthorized",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/errors/unkey/authentication/portal_token_missing"
  }
}
```

## What Happened?

This error occurs when a request was made to an endpoint that requires a [Customer Portal](/quickstart/portal) session, but no access token was supplied. Portal-authenticated endpoints expect either:

- An `httpOnly` session cookie set by the portal after a successful code exchange, or
- An `Authorization: Bearer <portal-access-token>` header on direct API calls from a browser session.

Common causes include:

- The user's browser has cookies disabled or blocked for the portal domain.
- The session was never established: the user landed on the portal without going through `POST /v2/portal.exchangeCode`.
- A backend integration is calling a portal-only endpoint with a root key instead of a portal access token.
- The session cookie was cleared or the user opened the portal in a private/incognito window with stripped state.

## How To Fix

Make sure the user has an active portal session before calling portal endpoints:

1. From your backend, call `POST /v2/portal.createSession` with your root key.
2. Redirect the user to the returned `url`. The portal will redeem the code it carries for a 24-hour access token.
3. Subsequent requests from the browser must include the portal session cookie or access token.

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.unkey.com/v2/portal.createSession \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ROOT_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "portal": "my-portal",
    "externalId": "user_123",
    "scopes": ["keys:read"]
  }'
```

If you are calling the portal API directly from JavaScript, ensure your fetch includes credentials so the session cookie is sent:

```typescript
await fetch("https://api.unkey.com/v2/...", {
  credentials: "include",
});
```

## Common Mistakes

- **Calling portal endpoints with a root key**: Root keys authenticate backend requests, not portal endpoints. Use a portal session.
- **Sending the `id` instead of the access token**: `portal.createSession` returns a non-secret `id`. It identifies the session but does not authenticate it.
- **Missing `credentials: "include"`**: Cross-origin browser requests omit cookies by default.
- **Expired session not refreshed**: After 24 hours the access token expires, so your backend must create a new session.
- **Direct navigation to the portal**: Users must arrive via your backend redirect, not by visiting the portal URL directly.

## Related Errors

- [err:unkey:authentication:portal_session_not_found](./portal_session_not_found) - When a portal credential is provided but invalid, expired, or already used
- [err:unkey:authentication:missing](./missing) - When no authentication credentials are provided to a non-portal endpoint
- [err:unkey:data:portal_not_found](../data/portal_not_found) - When the portal referenced by `portal` does not exist