Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

Fixing WordPress Update Failed Download Failed Unauthorized Issue

If you are a WordPress user, you might have encountered some issues while trying to update your WordPress website. One of the most common issues faced by WordPress users is the "WordPress update failed download failed unauthorized" error message. This error message can be frustrating, especially if you have important updates that need to be installed.

In this article, we will discuss what causes this error and explain how you can fix it.

What Causes the WordPress Update Failed Download Failed Unauthorized Issue?

The "WordPress update failed download failed unauthorized" error message occurs when WordPress is unable to download and install an update for your website. This error message can be caused by several reasons, including:

• Invalid login credentials: If you enter incorrect login credentials while trying to update your WordPress website, you may encounter this error message.

• File permission issues: If your website's files have incorrect permissions, WordPress cannot download new updates.

• Corrupted WordPress core files: If the WordPress core files are corrupted, the update may fail.

How to Fix the WordPress Update Failed Download Failed Unauthorized Error?

Here are some steps you can follow to fix the WordPress update failed download failed unauthorized error message:

Step 1: Verify Your Login Credentials

First, ensure that you have entered the correct login credentials. Double-check your username and password to make sure you are using the correct ones. You can also try resetting your password if you are not sure about your account details.

Step 2: Check File Permissions

The next step is to check the file permissions of your WordPress website. Log in to your web host's control panel and navigate to the file manager. Look for the "wp-content" folder and ensure that its permissions are set to "755". If the permissions are incorrect, change them to "755" and try updating your WordPress website again.

Step 3: Disable Third-Party Plugins

If none of the previous steps work, then there might be a conflict with one of your third-party plugins. To test this, try disabling all your third-party plugins and retry updating your WordPress website. If the error message disappears, then one of your plugins is causing the issue. You can then enable each plugin one by one until you identify the problematic one.

Step 4: Reinstall WordPress Core Files

If the issue persists even after trying all the previous steps, then your WordPress core files might be corrupted. You can try reinstalling WordPress by downloading its zip file from the WordPress official website. Then, extract the files from the zip archive and overwrite the corrupt files on your website's server.

Conclusion

The "WordPress update failed download failed unauthorized" error message can be frustrating, but it is a common issue. The error message can be caused by several reasons, including invalid login credentials, file permission issues, and corrupted WordPress core files. By following the steps in this article, you can easily fix this error and update your WordPress website.