How to fix Invalid Access Token Error

When you schedule a posts on Pilot Poster, in some rare cases, the scheduled posts might hit a hard rock on the way due to some reasons, and among the common reasons for a scheduled post to stop running is the ‘Invalid Access Token‘ error.

How to Detect this Error

Pilot Poster comes with a Logging feature that stores all of the errors encountered during a scheduled post. And to locate the error log, you need to Navigate to Posts > Scheduled Posts > And Click the Folder Icon at the right-hand side of the displayed table.

 

How to Fix Invalid Access Token Error
Fix Invalid Access Token Error

In the Log page, you will see the reason why your scheduled posts stopped running and if the error message seen is Invalid Access Token as shown in the image above, then read below to see how to fix;

How to Fix Invalid Access Token Error

The invalid access token error simply means the token for the selected app used for posting is expired and needs to be re-authenticated.

And to fix, all you need to do is Re-authenticate the current app used for posting.

To Re-authenticate, Goto Settings > Facebook Apps > Deauthenticate the App. And then click the Authenticate button again.

When you click the Authenticate button again, you do NOT need to go through all of the procedures as you would when Authenticating for the first time. Rather, all you need to click is the Get App Authenticate Link (As shown in the image below).

re-authenticate-app
re-authenticate-app

Copy the displayed access token from the next window that displays and then paste in the Access Token Box. Click the Test Access Token to ensure the copied token is valid, then click the Set Access Token Button.

You have successfully re-authenticate your app. Now is time for you to resume the paused schedule or schedule a new post using your authenticated app.

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31 Comments

  1. toni

    can you help me, when I run my post after an an hour or two it will stop even I update the access token. it will run then stop again. what can I do?

    1. Hello Andrade,

      Sorry for the inconveniences, you should know that most of the current apps have 2 hours access token expiration time, except Instagram that is longer but expires at random too sometimes.

      However, we’ll be bringing back HTC Sense before the end of the week and that should solve the problems for now.

      Thank you.

  2. Fernando

    I re-authenticate Instagram app, but when trying to post on my wall profile, I’m getting the error “Error validating access token: the session has been invalidated because the user has changed the password.”
    It is my first post.

  3. I can’t get the HTC Sense to authenticate. I have tried it through Chrome and FireFox.
    I also can’t get SpotFly to authenticate. Will this be a daily/hourly thing I will have to do?

  4. Carla

    I am receiving this error message “Error validating access token: session does not match current stored session. this may be because the user changed the password since the time the session was created or facebook has changed the session for security reasons.” I have re-authenticated my FB profile and HTC Sense. HTC Sense is my default app. What do I need to do to correct this error?

    1. I tried re-authenticate Graph API, set as default and try to post, but I recieved the same error.

        1. Carla

          I have tried this and I am still getting the same error. I have reauthenicated my facebook profile, deleted all apps and reauthenicated them. Still getting this error.
          I am using Firefox.

  5. toni

    can you help me how to fix this? ” an error occurred while processing this request please try again later.”

  6. Obinwanne

    I don’t have a PC to use Mozilla Firefox to authenticate HTC sense, can I use Firefox for android and authenticate?

  7. Hi
    When post three groups first two groups posting done but third group not post showing this error “” Error validating access token: the session is invalid because the user logged out””

    waiting for your help

    1. This happens when the access token of your app expires, and this is every 2 hours for the default app (Graph Explorer). To fix, authenticate HTC sense and set as default app because it has access token that could last for weeks. See guide Here: https://goo.gl/0zmULw

      Thank you.

  8. jae somerset

    im getting this Error validating access token: session has expired on saturday, 01-jul-17 22:00:00 pdt. the current time is sunday, 02-jul-17 00:06:04 pdt.

    1. This happens when the access token of your app expires, and this is every 2 hours for the default app (Graph Explorer). To fix, authenticate HTC sense and set as default app because it has access token that could last for weeks. See guide Here: https://goo.gl/0zmULw

      Thank you.

  9. What does this mean? Please help!

    “Error validating access token: The session has been invalidated because the user changed their password or Facebook has changed the session for security reasons.”

  10. Please help!

    “Error validating access token: The session has been invalidated because the user changed their password or Facebook has changed the session for security reasons.”

  11. jai

    Access token not availabe for current facebook account and default app how to solve this proble,

    1. Hello, you need to authenticate one of the apps. Recommended are HTC Sense, Facebook for Android and iPhone.

  12. john

    Hi dear Admin

    I’ve been using pilot poster since last month, it has been awesome since then.

    the only problem i’m getting lately is that, some of my fb account has been blocked for the reason facebook saying that i’m giving credential password to third party website and it is against their policy.

    So to avoid my existing account from getting banned , i registered several new account. But then, as i’m adding them, one by one has been detected as suspicious by facebook thus banned.

    My qusetion is, it is still possible for me as for NOW to add new facebook account and link them to PILOT POSTER?

    Is there any other way to bypass their strict security i.e clearing cookies or something like that?

    TQ

    1. New Facebook accounts should be verified with a mobile number before posting with them. And we advise you post to just a few groups with long intervals with new accounts.

      Concerning your old accounts that Facebook complains about credentials, we recommend you authenticate and use HTC Sense for them.

      1. john

        thanks for your answers, really appreciate them and i hope it should helps.

        but i forgot also to mention two thing before,

        1st, i already had an account added to pilot poster. While i was trying to authenticate htc, facebook detected it as unusual action and suddenly made a temporary ban on that account of mine.

        2nd thing is, i tried to add new account added to pilot poster. Also it triggered facebook alarm, thus temporaryly banned me for about two days.

        any suggestion then regarding these problem?

      2. john

        oh ok thanks. Somehow i managed to authenticate the htc.

        Thank you very much for your great help!

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