ERROR

How to Fix AWS InvalidClientTokenId

Quick Fix Summary

TL;DR

Verify and correct your AWS access key ID in credentials or environment variables.

AWS cannot recognize the access key ID provided in your request. This is an authentication failure where the token format or value is invalid.

Diagnosis & Causes

  • Access key ID contains typographical errors.
  • Credentials file has incorrect formatting or path.
  • Environment variables are set but contain wrong values.
  • IAM user or access key has been deleted or deactivated.
  • Using access key from wrong AWS account or region.

    • Recovery Steps

    1

    Step 1: Validate Current Credentials

    First, check what credentials your environment is actually using to confirm the mismatch.

    bash 
    aws sts get-caller-identity
echo $AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID
cat ~/.aws/credentials
    2

    Step 2: Regenerate and Configure New Access Keys

    If the key is invalid, generate a new one via the AWS Console or CLI and update your local configuration.

    bash 
    # 1. Create new keys (via Console recommended for security)
# 2. Update AWS CLI credentials
aws configure
# 3. Set environment variables (for containers/CI/CD)
export AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE"
export AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY"
    3

    Step 3: Verify IAM User Status and Permissions

    Ensure the IAM user associated with the key is active and has the necessary permissions.

    bash 
    # Check user details (run with different, valid credentials)
aws iam get-user --user-name YOUR_USERNAME
# List access keys for the user
aws iam list-access-keys --user-name YOUR_USERNAME
    4

    Step 4: Check for Credential Precedence Conflicts

    AWS SDKs follow a strict precedence order. Hardcode a test with only one source to isolate the issue.

    bash 
    unset AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY AWS_SESSION_TOKEN
AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="AKIA..." AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="..." aws sts get-caller-identity

    Architect's Pro Tip

    "For production systems, immediately fail over to a backup IAM user/role with equivalent permissions while diagnosing the primary key issue to minimize downtime."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    I'm sure my key is correct. Why do I still get InvalidClientTokenId?

    The most common hidden cause is an invisible character (like a space or newline) copied into your environment variable or credentials file. Use `echo -n "$AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID" | od -c` to check.

    Can this error occur with temporary session tokens (from STS)?

    Yes. If the access key ID within your temporary credentials is invalid, expired, or from a deleted IAM user, you will get this error. Refresh your session tokens.

    How do I prevent this in CI/CD pipelines?

    Use OIDC with IAM Roles (e.g., GitHub Actions, GitLab CI) instead of long-term access keys. If keys are necessary, store them in the pipeline's secret manager and inject them as environment variables at runtime.

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