Getting 403 - "{\n \"error\": {\n \"code\": 403,\n \"message\": \"Request had insufficient authentication scopes.\",\n \"status\": \"PERMISSION_DENIED\"\n }\n}\n" when connecting to google photo via http node

Questions
1

Hi community,
I tried to setup http node access to google photo, but for some reason, i keep getting the following error:

{
  "errorMessage": "Forbidden - perhaps check your credentials?",
  "errorDescription": "Request had insufficient authentication scopes.",
  "errorDetails": {
    "rawErrorMessage": [
      "403 - \"{\\n  \\\"error\\\": {\\n    \\\"code\\\": 403,\\n    \\\"message\\\": \\\"Request had insufficient authentication scopes.\\\",\\n    \\\"status\\\": \\\"PERMISSION_DENIED\\\"\\n  }\\n}\\n\""
    ],
    "httpCode": "403"
  },
  "n8nDetails": {
    "nodeName": "HTTP Request",
    "nodeType": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
    "nodeVersion": 4.2,
    "itemIndex": 0,
    "time": "7/13/2025, 3:49:46 PM",
    "n8nVersion": "1.101.1 (Self Hosted)",
    "binaryDataMode": "filesystem",
    "stackTrace": [
      "NodeApiError: Forbidden - perhaps check your credentials?",
      "    at ExecuteContext.execute (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/.pnpm/n8n-nodes-base@file+packages+nodes-base_@[email protected]_asn1.js@5_1af219c3f47f2a1223ec4ccec249a974/node_modules/n8n-nodes-base/nodes/HttpRequest/V3/HttpRequestV3.node.ts:780:15)",
      "    at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:105:5)",
      "    at WorkflowExecute.runNode (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/.pnpm/n8n-core@[email protected][email protected][email protected][email protected]_/node_modules/n8n-core/src/execution-engine/workflow-execute.ts:1194:9)",
      "    at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/.pnpm/n8n-core@[email protected][email protected][email protected][email protected]_/node_modules/n8n-core/src/execution-engine/workflow-execute.ts:1564:27",
      "    at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/n8n/node_modules/.pnpm/n8n-core@[email protected][email protected][email protected][email protected]_/node_modules/n8n-core/src/execution-engine/workflow-execute.ts:2135:11"
    ]
  }
}

I pretty much carbon copy the setup per the link:Can't get Google Photos API to work in HTTP Request node with OAuth2 - #2 by MutedJam
but it just didn’t work for me. Here’s my setup:

image
image421Ă—825 7.11 KB

and my credential setup in the node generic credential type > Oauth2 API:

image
image1191Ă—566 6.91 KB

image
image1001Ă—562 18 KB

The scope in the above are: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/photoslibrary https://www.googleapis.com/auth/photoslibrary.sharing https://www.googleapis.com/auth/photoslibrary.edit.appcreateddata

Finally, in my google console, I have the following scopes enabled:

image
image776Ă—873 19.1 KB

I have also tried reconnect the credential each time I make any changes to the scope on google cloud console but still getting error…

My setup is:

  • Docker compose n8n
  • self starter kit
  • n8n 1.101.1

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

TheBird

2

hello @jerry_Cole

you will need this scope for that method
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/photoslibrary.readonly.appcreateddata

Method: mediaItems.list | Google Photos APIs | Google for Developers

1 Like
3

Thank you @barn4k that works!

1 Like
4

Hi @barn4k I’m desperately trying to connect my n8n to my Google Photos as well… I’ve done everything that n8n forums suggested (correct scopes, URLs, etc.). But I keep getting “forbidden, please check your credentials”…

After your suggestion to add “https://www.googleapis.com/auth/photoslibrary.readonly.appcreateddata” to my scope, I stopped getting the “forbidden” message, but now I’m getting empty results (as if I didn’t own any album, but I do own some). Any help?

6

May not be your problem but could be relevant.
It appeared google has removed the scopes for reading and listing media since apr 2025.

https://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/1isijab/coping_with_google_photos_api_changes_no_more/

It explained why I could get any media except a field that says pagetoken when I run the list media call.

7

You are right… It seems that no headless APIs is allowed to access Google Photos anymore (especially photos or album that were NOT created by API)

1 Like