Title: error failure to authenticate
Last modified: June 13, 2024

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# error failure to authenticate

 *  Resolved [shivasirons](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shivasirons/)
 * (@shivasirons)
 * [1 year, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-failure-to-authenticate/)
 * I read another when logging in. How do I write into the .htaccess what do I actually
   write? I’ve been doing the ftp approach then change the name of the plugin in
   order to login. I understand may need to add something too the .htaccess file?
   what do I add to the .htaccess file, specifically?
 * The page I need help with: _[[log in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fsupport%2Ftopic%2Ferror-failure-to-authenticate%2F%3Foutput_format%3Dmd&locale=en_US)
   to see the link]_

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  Plugin Support [wfmargaret](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfmargaret/)
 * (@wfmargaret)
 * [1 year, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-failure-to-authenticate/#post-17823775)
 * Hi [@shivasirons](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shivasirons/),
 * Is the error message you’re seeing “`ERROR: An error was encountered while trying
   to authenticate. Please try again.`” or are you seeing something else?
 * Are you running 2FA/reCAPTCHA through Wordfence, or are you using any custom 
   login pages on your site? Wordfence’s 2FA and reCAPTCHA work only with default
   registration/login pages for WordPress and WooCommerce.
 * Thanks,
   Margaret
 *  Thread Starter [shivasirons](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shivasirons/)
 * (@shivasirons)
 * [1 year, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-failure-to-authenticate/#post-17823798)
 * Yes that is the error I am seeing as you’ve displayed it. Using standard login
   page. I am using 2FA from Wordfence. Yet this just started 2 days ago. Never 
   had this issue for years.
 * Been logging in the ftp way changing the folder name.
 *  Plugin Support [wfmargaret](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfmargaret/)
 * (@wfmargaret)
 * [1 year, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-failure-to-authenticate/#post-17826138)
 * Hi [@shivasirons](https://wordpress.org/support/users/shivasirons/),
 * Thanks for the additional information. Occasionally this message has occurred
   where the WordPress login page doesn’t redirect automatically on wp-login.php.
   If your browser or site is caching something incorrectly, especially as an updated
   version of WordPress and Wordfence has been recently released, try to sign in
   again using a private/incognito browser window. Also try clearing any caching
   plugins you may have if applicable.
 * If this doesn’t work, disabling all plugins except for Wordfence could help see
   if the problem stops. If it does, re-enable your other plugins one by one to 
   see when the errors start cropping up again. Failing that, also try switching
   to a default theme such as Twenty Twenty-Four and try again as some themes can
   have custom Javascript or other code causing issues. You can install a maintenance
   mode plugin during this time if site visitors are likely to be impacted during
   your tests.
 * Let me know how it goes!
 * Thanks,
   Margaret

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘error failure to authenticate’ is closed to new replies.

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 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [wfmargaret](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wfmargaret/)
 * Last activity: [1 year, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-failure-to-authenticate/#post-17826138)
 * Status: resolved