Niantic Labs' mobile sensation, "Pokemon Go" is not spared from flaws. Trainers frequently run into an "Unable to Authenticate" error among a slew of other problems that they bump into while playing the game. Let's take a look at possible causes for the error and how to fix the vexatious problem.
You Were Banned
Niantic has been laying down a strong ban hammer on players who have been breaking the game's Terms of Service. This includes using third party app/website to falsify locations, using emulators, accessing the game's backend via third-party software. If you ever opted for either of these short cuts to play the game and are seeing this error, you're probably banned from playing "Pokemon Go."
It's worth noting that getting the "Unable to Authenticate" error doesn't specifically imply that you were cheating. If you haven't violated TOS and are still getting this message, it could be some sort of error. Fret not! Here's how you can try to fix it.
Log out of your account and log back in. Players using Android can try removing "Pokemon Go" permission from their Google account settings and then reinstall the app. It's important to ensure that you're logged into the game with the right Google account. There have been quite a few times when a glitch caused players to open their game just to find that you were logged in with the wrong Gmail. If you have your password saved, delete all your Google passwords to make sure you're not getting logged into the game with the incorrect username and password, Heavy reported.
In order to fix the problem, some veteran "Pokemon Go" players recommend logging out and creating a Pokemon Trainer Club account. Next, log in with that account, play for some time, then log out and try logging again with your regular Google account. Although it doesn't work all the time, it usually fixes server and authentication issues.
Incompatible Device
Another possible cause for this error message is that you're using an incompatible device to play the game. In other words, your device is not supported by "Pokemon Go."
In order to play the mobile game you should have Android device using 4.4+, GPS and Location services, ideal resolution of 720×1280 pixels, all this coupled with a reliable Internet connection. Supported iOS devices must be iPhone 5 or newer, iOS 8 or higher, along with GPS and location services and strong internet connection.
Using A Rooted Or Jailbroken Phone
You may encounter the "Unable to Authenticate" error if you're using a rooted Android phone or a jailbroken iOS device. The game developer no longer supports either type of device in the game. Even if you manage to unroot your device, the problem may prevail if you still have the rooted OS on your device or any other settings that might signify that your phone was rooted.
For instance, if you use Magisk in order to switch off rooting, you might still get the error since SafetyNet is failing. You can try the SafetyNet Helper and see if you encounter a "payload validation failed" message despite switching off the root in Magisk. To fix this, Redditor 3shirts claims they disabled xposed and then rebooted. Much to their delight, the game passed SafetyNet and began working again.
Region, Carrier, Or IP Related Issues
This hasn't been officially confirmed, but several players on Reddit's The Silph Road claim that some "unable to authenticate" errors may be related with your region or carrier. For instance, "Pokemon Go" players in Ontario who used Koodo were bumping into the "unable to authenticate" error despite never violating TOS or using a rooted phone for that matter. According to one player on Reddit, Ontario based Telus and Koodo customers were affected, and Telus was working to fix the problem.
Some players using Cricket are encountering the same issue, and this stirred conversations among some people that Niantic might be blocking some carrier's IP ranges citing concerns about spoofing or botting. If you're able to play the game via WiFi but not through mobile data there is a possibility that you're facing a similar problem.
Niantic hasn't confirmed this issue; however, if you think it might be affecting you, clear your phone's cache or simply disable and enable data a few times in a row to fix the problem.
If that doesn't solve the problem, check your phone's IP through a website like IPChicken, then restart your phone and check if your device is now in a different IP range, if it is, check if the game is working now. Alternatively, you can also switch to a different network mode, such as from LTE to WCDMA.
Stay tuned in here for more "Pokemon Go" tips, tricks, cheats and hacks!
