How to easily fix 'Unable to Authenticate' issue in Pokemon Go

Being an online game, Pokemon Go can have a variety of common connectivity issues that may prevent users from playing. Here’s how players can fix the common ‘Unable to Authenticate’ error message in Pokemon Go.

As is the case with any live service game, players have to rely on an internet connection to play reliably.

Unfortunately, sometimes those connections can prove to be a bit finicky, making for an unstable experience.

One of the most common problems stemming from connection issues is the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ message. This guide will give you step-by-step instructions on how to easily fix this error message and get you back outside catching Pokemon.

What causes the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ error message

As explained earlier, the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ error appears when there’s trouble with one’s internet connection and stability.

However, the message could also appear as a result of Pokemon Go developer, Niantic. Sometimes, Niantic’s servers may temporarily go down, in which case players will simply have to wait until any server issues are resolved.

Niantic, the Pokemon Go developer, usually updates its social media accounts about server issues.

Here are some ways players can check the status of Niantic’s servers whenever they go down:

You can follow and check Niantic’s official support account on Twitter: Niantic Support.

If no information is present on Niantic Support, searching Twitter and other social media platforms for terms like ‘Pokemon Go servers’ is a great way to see if other players are experiencing similar problems.

Using internet detection websites such as DownDetector or ServicesDown is a great way to quickly see if Pokemon Go has had any recent server issues.

With these three methods, you should be able to find information about Niantic’s servers that could be causing the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ error.

How to fix the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ error message

However, players may find that it is instead their internet connection that is causing the error message.

If this is the case, there is some quick and easy troubleshooting that players can do to resolve it.

Power cycling your router by unplugging it or restarting it could alleviate any home internet problems.

You may need to call your Internet Service Provider to see if the fault lies with them.

If you are playing Pokemon Go outside, make sure you are not in an area with low cellular reception, like National Parks, forested areas, or tunnels.

Some outside areas may simply have bad cell reception which could cause the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ error message.

If those steps don’t resolve the issue, there are a few more things you can do to fix things.

Make sure you are not running a VPN service in the background while playing Pokemon Go. Additionally, players may simply need to clear their cache to smooth out the experience.

On Android players need to:

Go to ‘Settings,’ ‘Apps,’ and check Pokemon Go.

Open app information and select ‘clear cache.’

On IOS players need to:

Uninstall Pokemon Go and restart your phone.

Reinstall Pokemon Go.

These steps should fix the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ message reliably. If not, your account may be compromised in some way, in which players would have to contact Niantic for support.

That’s everything players need to know in regards to fixing the ‘Unable to Authenticate’ error message in Pokemon Go! Make sure to check out our other guides for more tips and tricks surrounding Pokemon Go:

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