argocd: rpc error: code = Unauthenticated desc = token expired

Your stored Argo CD auth token expired (or was revoked server-side) - every command fails the same way until you re-authenticate. Run argocd relogin to refresh the session in place; if the token's JTI was deleted server-side, log in fresh with argocd login. In scripts, prefer a project token with a long TTL over an interactive session.

The error

rpc error: code = Unauthenticated desc = token expired

What to do

1. Refresh the session:

argocd relogin

Expected: Prompts for credentials, saves a fresh token.

2. Verify:

argocd account get-user-info

Expected: Returns your user instead of Unauthenticated.

3. If relogin still fails, the server-side token record is gone - log in fresh:

argocd login [server] --grpc-web --username [user]

Expected: New session established.

When this applies

• the exact rpc error code Unauthenticated message
• sessions that worked yesterday and fail today
• tokens revoked by an admin

When it does NOT apply

• PermissionDenied (logged in, but RBAC says no)
• Failed to invoke grpc call (transport, not token)

Works with

argocd CLI 2.x/3.x

FATA[0000] rpc error: code = Unauthenticated desc = invalid token

Same expired-or-bad-token family. Same relogin fix.

Why it happens

The CLI stores a JWT in ~/.config/argocd/config. JWTs carry an expiry, and the server can also invalidate the token id (JTI) - either way the stored credential stops working and every call 401s.

Edge cases

• SSO sessions expire with the IdP session too - relogin re-runs the browser flow.
• Automation should use argocd account generate-token / project tokens, not a human session that silently expires.

Resolved from

computingforgeeks argocd login guide - https://computingforgeeks.com/argocd-cli-login-authentication/

Asked: Every argocd command fails with rpc error: code = Unauthenticated after working for weeks. Verified answer: Run argocd relogin; log in fresh if the server-side token was revoked. Source: https://computingforgeeks.com/argocd-cli-login-authentication/ (thread computingforgeeks argocd login guide). Tool: argocd-cli.