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This file needs its password

Error code password_required
Downloading a file

This file needs its password

password_required

The file exists, but the uploader protected it with a password before it can be downloaded or described.

HTTP 401·Downloading a file

What it means

What happened

The file exists, but the uploader protected it with a password before it can be downloaded or described.

Why

Why it might have happened

  • The link points to a password-protected file.
  • The browser or API request did not include a valid recent unlock cookie for this exact file.
  • Unlock cookies expire after a short time and are bound to one file only.
Next steps

What you can try

  1. Open the file page in a browser and enter the password from the uploader.
  2. If you are using a script, unlock through the form flow and send the returned cookie on later requests.
  3. Ask the uploader for the password if you do not have it.
Related
Still stuck?

Get help

If the error keeps happening, contact support and include password_required plus what you were trying to do on filebin.ca.

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