Google OAuth re-authentication issue - Cloud vs Self-hosted

Questions
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Hi everyone, I’m currently using self-hosted n8n and facing the 7-day Google OAuth re-authentication issue with regular Gmail accounts (@gmail.com). Before migrating to n8n Cloud Pro, I need confirmation: **Question**: If I use n8n Cloud’s built-in “Sign in with Google” for Gmail/Calendar/Sheets credentials, will regular Gmail accounts work WITHOUT the 7-day re-authentication problem? Context: - Self-hosted: External OAuth app = 7-day re-auth required - Can’t use Service Accounts (complex for Gmail/Calendar) - Need solution for non-Workspace Gmail users Has anyone successfully used n8n Cloud with @gmail.com accounts for extended periods (30+ days) without re-authentication issues? Thanks! ```

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Hi @dylan_kwak
We will try answer your questions with what we understand and our own experience with self-hosting:

The seven-day authentication limit applies if your app User Type is External and its publishing status is Testing, consent and tokens expire after seven days.” docs.n8n.io+1
This is the standard Google OAuth rule for apps in testing/unverified status.

We’re currently running a self-hosted n8n instance that uses our own Google Cloud OAuth credentials.

In our Google Cloud Console, under OAuth consent screen → Audience, our configuration shows:

  • Publishing status: In production

  • User type: External

Because our OAuth app is “In production” (not “Testing”), Google issues long-lived refresh tokens that do not expire after 7 days. This means we don’t experience the 7-day re-authentication problem that typically happens when an app is still in “Testing” mode.

When an app is in “Testing” mode, Google limits refresh tokens for security reasons — they automatically expire after 7 days, requiring you to manually re-authenticate. Once the app is verified and moved to “In production”, tokens persist indefinitely (unless manually revoked or inactive for 6+ months).

So, to summarize:
Since our OAuth app’s publishing status is In production and user type is External, we can use regular @gmail.com accounts without running into the 7-day re-authentication issue.

Hope this helps resolve your issue.

2 Likes
3

Thank you for your detailed response! This is very helpful.

I have a follow-up question about the verification process:

When I tried setting my OAuth app to:

  • Publishing status: In production

  • User type: External

Google required additional verification for accessing sensitive scopes like Gmail and Google Calendar APIs. In my experience, apps that access these sensitive scopes need to go through Google’s verification/review process before they can be published to “In production” status.

My questions are:

  1. Did you have to go through Google’s OAuth app verification process to move your app from “Testing” to “In production” status?

  2. If yes, how long did the verification process take, and what documentation did Google require?

  3. If no, were you able to bypass the verification somehow? Or are you perhaps using a Google Workspace account with “Internal” user type instead of “External” with regular Gmail accounts?

  4. I’ve also heard that if you use n8n Cloud (instead of self-hosted), you can connect to Gmail and Google Calendar using just n8n’s authentication without dealing with the 7-day re-authentication issue. Can you confirm if this is true? Does n8n Cloud handle the OAuth verification on their end?

I’m trying to understand the complete process so I can implement the same solution for my self-hosted n8n instance without hitting the 7-day re-authentication limit.

Thanks in advance for any additional insights you can share!

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Hi @dylan_kwak
Glad my previous post was helpful! I’ll try to answer your follow-up questions based on our experience with a self-hosted n8n instance.

As per Google’s documentation here, If your public application uses scopes that permit access to certain user data, it must complete a verification process. If you see unverified app on the screen when testing your application, you must submit a verification request to remove it. Find out more about unverified apps and get answers to frequently asked questions about app verification in the Help Center.

1. Did you have to go through Google’s OAuth app verification process to move your app from “Testing” to “In production”?

In our case, we did not have to go through the formal verification process.

In our Google Cloud Console, under OAuth consent screen, the Verification Status shows:

Verification not required
Your consent screen is being shown, but your app has not been reviewed so your users may not see all of your information, and you will not be able to request certain OAuth scopes.

Because of this, we were able to move our app to In production without submitting documentation for verification.

2. If yes, how long did the verification process take, and what documentation did Google require?

  • Not applicable in our case. We are not sure about this timing.

3. If no, were you able to bypass verification somehow? Or are you using a Google Workspace account with “Internal” user type instead of “External” with regular Gmail accounts?

  • We did not bypass anything intentionally.

  • Our app is External and uses regular Gmail accounts, no Google workspace.

  • It seems that some apps do not require verification depending on:

    1. The OAuth scopes being requested (limited scopes often don’t require review).

    2. Your Google Cloud project status — for example, projects not on a trial plan may have more flexibility.

      :warning: Note: Other apps, especially those requesting sensitive/restricted scopes like full Gmail or Calendar access, may still require Google verification.

4. Using n8n Cloud (instead of self-hosting) and OAuth verification

  • We understand n8n Cloud handles OAuth verification on their side, so you might be able to connect Gmail or Google Calendar without worrying about the 7-day re-authentication limit. However, since we have not expertise with the Cloud instance, may be someone from the n8n Team like @bartv @sirdavidoff @jan @harshalpatil could provide us some more inside on this.

  • Self-hosted instances require you to manage your own Google OAuth app, but if your scopes and project configuration are similar to ours, you may not need verification.

This is basically what we’ve experienced. So yes, depending on the app and scopes, you may or may not need to go through Google verification, but in many simple setups (like ours), you can avoid it.

We wish you all the best with your projects!