# API Handling

**URL:** <https://community.n8n.io/t/api-handling/260232>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [February 3, 2026, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/api-handling/260232 "2026-02-03T21:32:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Evan\_Young](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/evan_young/32/59786_2.png) [@Evan\_Young](https://community.n8n.io/u/Evan_Young)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/api-handling/260232/1 "2026-02-03T21:32:01Z")

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Im having trouble linking my google sheets API. The key and secret have been entered, but i cant see my individual sheets, or rows. the message i keep receiving is Could not load list

Unable to sign without access token

## Describe the problem/error/question

## What is the error message (if any)?

## Please share your workflow

```auto
(Select the nodes on your canvas and use the keyboard shortcuts CMD+C/CTRL+C and CMD+V/CTRL+V to copy and paste the workflow.)

```

## Share the output returned by the last node

## Information on your n8n setup

- **n8n version:**
- **Database (default: SQLite):**
- **n8n EXECUTIONS\_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):**
- **Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):**
- **Operating system:**

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Keira\_Becky](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/keira_becky/32/141482_2.png) [@Keira\_Becky](https://community.n8n.io/u/Keira_Becky)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/api-handling/260232/2 "2026-02-03T21:40:40Z")

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Hi @Evan_Young

This error means the authentication method is wrong for Google Sheets in n8n.

Reason

- Google Sheets does not support API key/secret authentication in n8n

- It requires OAuth2

- Without an OAuth access token, n8n cannot list spreadsheets, sheets, or rows  
→ hence “Unable to sign without access token”

Try this fix

1. Create an OAuth Client ID in Google Cloud (not an API key)

2. Enable Google Sheets API

3. Add this redirect URL:https:///rest/oauth2-credential/callback

4. In n8n, create Google Sheets OAuth2 credentials and connect the account

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**Author:** ![Anshul\_Namdev](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/anshul_namdev/32/178229_2.png) [@Anshul\_Namdev](https://community.n8n.io/u/Anshul_Namdev)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/api-handling/260232/3 "2026-02-03T22:26:31Z")

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Hi @Evan_Young Welcome! Just Remove existing Google Sheets credentials, then upgrade n8n to the latest version and then recreate credentials. Also, makes sure the Google Sheets API and Google Drive API are enabled in your Google Cloud Console. Hope this helps.

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**Author:** ![Wouter\_Nigrini](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/wouter_nigrini/32/150261_2.png) [@Wouter\_Nigrini](https://community.n8n.io/u/Wouter_Nigrini)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2026, 10:34pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/api-handling/260232/4 "2026-02-03T22:34:55Z")

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Hi @Evan_Young,

After you set the client id and secret, make sure to click the button at the bottom to actually log into your google account. This is what will set the token which is related to the error you’re getting

 ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/original/3X/b/1/b11f2fba8273c8faef214ad93aea0ff347e45a35.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/n8n/user_avatar/community.n8n.io/system/32/195824_2.png) [@system](https://community.n8n.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.n8n.io/t/api-handling/260232/5 "2026-05-04T22:35:52Z")

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Closed on May 4, 2026, 10:35pm UTC

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