Error 401 Unauthorized

Resolve authentication failures during migration.

Last updated: 2025-01-15 Troubleshooting

Error Message

The remote server returned an error: (401) Unauthorized

This error indicates authentication or permission failures.

Mail Migration Causes

Office 365 Migration

Cause

Missing required Azure AD Application permissions, specifically the full_access_as_app permission.

Solution

Add the required permissions to your Azure AD application following the Azure apps registration guide.

Exchange Migration

Incorrect credentials

Username/password don't match

→ Verify by logging into Exchange server directly

MFA Enabled

Account using Multi-Factor Authentication

→ Disable MFA for the migration service account

SSO Enabled

Single Sign-On system enabled

→ Disable SSO and ensure direct Office 365 authentication

Unlicensed Account

Migration account has no Exchange license

→ Assign a valid Exchange License to the account

Legacy Auth Disabled

Exchange on-prem only

→ Enable Legacy authentication in Exchange on-prem

File Migration Causes

Incorrect credentials

→ Verify credentials at portal.office.com

No OneDrive access

Migration account lacks access to user's OneDrive

→ Run Preprocessing to grant access

Connector app issue

Application cannot access OneDrive

→ Recreate connector to reinstall the application

SharePoint Site Migration Causes

Credentials Issue

Cause

Migration account lacks sufficient permissions for the target site collection.

Solution

Add the account as a Site Collection Administrator in SharePoint central administration.

Site Collection Missing

Cause

Target site collection doesn't exist in SharePoint.

Solution

Create the site collection in SharePoint central administration before migration.

Quick Troubleshooting

Most 401 errors are resolved by verifying credentials and ensuring the migration account has appropriate permissions. Test by logging into the target service directly.

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