How can I force user and password prompt when pushing to my git repository?

Question

I recently updated my local Git installation to 1.8.1 from 1.8.0.1.

I'm noticing that, when I work on GitHub, it doesn't prompt me for username and password on push anymore.

This troubles me, as I see having to type user and password every time as a good security measure. (what if someone else uses my computer?)

I checked the following:

1.8.0.1 on another computer still asks for username and password.
my account on github still enforces private/security controls.
I am using https remote references, rather than ssh.
For good measure, I checked in my ~/.ssh fonder. Nothing wrong there.
I'm not storing the login details in ~/.gitconfig or individual <proj>/.git/config files.
I'm also not storing anything github-related in ~/.netrc.
I created a new dummy archive: still doesn't prompt me for login.

I couldn't find anything in the git release notes archive.

Does anyone know if this is a new git behaviour? How do I restore the prompt?

Do you have a `%HOME%\_netrc` file with your credential in it? (as in http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11021803/need-github-without-username-and-password/11022181#11022181) Or do you have some kind of credential caching activated? (as in http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6191985/git-http-securely-remember-credentials/12938677#12938677) Or are you working with GitHub for Windows? — VonC, Feb 01 '13 at 10:01
Thanks. I'm working on OS X. I do have a `~/.netrc` file, but there isn't anything github related in there (forgot to mention that, adding it now). With `git config -l` I now see I have a `credential.helper=osxkeychain` option. Thanks, I'll read the manpages. Could you expand your comment as an answer? — tompave, Feb 01 '13 at 10:44
I used `git config --global --unset credential.helper` and `git config --system --unset credential.helper` and it brought back the login prompt. — yoyo, Mar 07 '19 at 05:12
Note that "bring back the prompt" doesn't solve "what if someone else uses my computer?" worry — you also want to find & delete whereever the credential helper stored passwords (whether it's files or OS keychain) — Beni Cherniavsky-Paskin, Nov 15 '22 at 15:15

sapy · Answer 1 · 2017-04-13T07:14:25.253

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Add a -v flag with your git command . e.g. git pull -v

v stands for verify .

edited Apr 13 '17 at 07:14

answered Feb 19 '16 at 10:18

sapy

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@joao I saw one of my colleague using this command , and I promptly remembered it . Never saw this anywhere documented as well . It looks more like --verbose flag , not sure why it works :) – sapy May 18 '16 at 17:52
yes . It caught my attention as well , it looks like verbose , or version ... But actally it stands for `verify` . Git has strange nomenclatures. – sapy Jan 12 '17 at 07:07
Perfect! Forces re-authentication as advertised. – Matt Brock Apr 24 '17 at 15:22
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git version 1.7.1 man pages show that `-v` stands for verbose for `git-pull` and `git-fetch` – peter Apr 23 '19 at 20:33
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Did absolutely nothing for me. Did not prompt for anything. Just pushed. – Sep 18 '19 at 18:11
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This should be the accepted answer. Straight to the point and it works. – tuan.dinh May 11 '20 at 01:00
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This is the real answer, imho--with the -v option I re-entered my credentials and am all set. The reason I needed to reverify is because my corporate password had changed. – Scott Jul 31 '20 at 17:50

score 108 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 11 '23 at 14:44

This is most likely because you have multiple accounts, like one private, one for work with GitHub.

SOLUTION On Windows, go to Start > Credential Manager > Windows Credentials and remove GitHub creds, then try pulling or pushing again and you will be prompted to relogin into GitHub

SOLUTION OnMac, issue following on terminal:

git remote set-url origin https://username@github.com/username/repo-name.git

by replacing 'username' with your GitHub username in both places and providing your GitHub repo name.

or add the password/token as well

git remote set-url origin https://username:<pass/token>@github.com/username/repo-name.git

score 26 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

26

With git config -l, I now see I have a credential.helper=osxkeychain option

That means the credential helper (initially introduced in 1.7.10) is now in effect, and will cache automatically the password for accessing a remote repository over HTTP.
(as in "GIT: Any way to set default login credentials?")

You can disable that option entirely, or only for a single repo.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:18

Community

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answered Feb 01 '13 at 10:48

VonC

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thanks. it took me a while because for some reason the option was in the `--system` config file, rather than in the `--global` one. Still wondering how that got switched on. – tompave Feb 01 '13 at 13:06
Had you installed GitExtensions or any other client, which switched it on? I dont remember switching it on until I installed GitExtensions. – RuntimeException Jun 08 '17 at 15:04
Apparently, this might be the cause. The credential cache daemon. Not sure if the same is the cause on Windows though. https://stackoverflow.com/a/15382950/15789 – RuntimeException Jun 08 '17 at 15:16
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@RuntimeException on Windows, by default, the credential helper is the Microsoft Credential Manager (so, no daemon): https://stackoverflow.com/a/42152514/6309 – VonC Jun 08 '17 at 18:35
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Thanks, this sent me on the right path. I launched the keychain access tool in OS X and just deleted all the github stuff there... Solved the problem. – Shai Almog Jul 17 '20 at 05:17

score 18 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 29 '18 at 23:38

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None of those worked for me. I was trying to clone a directory from a private git server and entered my credentials false and then it wouldn't let me try different credentials on subsequent tries, it just errored out immediately with an authentication error.

What did work was specifying the user name (mike-wise)in the url like this:

   git clone https://mike-wise@collab.somewhere.net/someuser/somerepo.git

answered Sep 29 '18 at 23:38

Mike Wise

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This made the difference for me (I'm on a managed machine that will not allow access to the credentials manager) – Malcolm Anderson Nov 21 '19 at 22:15
My Power Shell got stucked and this worked for me. Just got to type password on the Windows Credential Helper Box. :) – Welyngton Dal Prá Feb 02 '21 at 00:36

score 5 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 27 '16 at 09:58

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Since the question was labeled with Github, adding another remote like https_origin and add the https connection can force you always to enter the password:

git remote add https_origin https://github.com/.../...

answered Jun 27 '16 at 09:58

Afshin Mehrabani

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This didn't work for me. I can add the https remote, but it still says 'permisson denied to ' without prompting me. – LondonRob Oct 17 '18 at 16:17

score 3 · Answer 6 · edited Mar 29 '22 at 13:23

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Addition to third answer: If you're using non-english Windows, you can find "Credentials Manager" through "Control panel" > "User Accounts" > "Credentials Manager"

edited Mar 29 '22 at 13:23

Liam

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answered Sep 11 '20 at 09:20

Владимир Шомин

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 27 '22 at 02:55

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The easiest way to get around the dumb github restriction is making an api token under developer in your profile settings. Then you can change your repo url to be @url

answered Jul 27 '22 at 02:55

pooshla

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score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 28 '23 at 17:05

deleting these lines in ~/.gitconfig save me :

    extraheader = Authorization: Bearer xxx
[remote "origin"]
    url = https://user:token@github.com/user/repo.git
[alias]
    credential-manager = credential-manager-core
[credential]
    helper = osxkeychain```

How can I force user and password prompt when pushing to my git repository?

8 Answers8

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