Skip to content
CC Switch WikiUnofficial Community Wiki

unexpected status 401 Unauthorized Codex

Quick fix

Use the built-in DeepSeek template instead of a hand-built config, or add http_headers to the config file by hand to pass the API Key.

Symptom

Section titled “Symptom”
Error output
unexpected status 401 Unauthorized: Incorrect API key provided: 123456. You can find your API key at https://platform.openai.com/account/api-keys., url: https://api.openai.com/v1/responses, cf-ray: a1ffe910ba36683c-NRT, request id: f56e5cc5-be53-4a44-aa57-efacc1869ac0

Cause

Section titled “Cause”

Switching Codex to a third-party provider such as DeepSeek in cc-switch with a hand-built configuration, key settings may not be written completely or the routing override may be partial, so Codex still sends requests to the official OpenAI address carrying the wrong auth information — hence the 401. Codex has also become stricter about the configuration format since its update, and a hand-built config easily misses a required field.

Fix

Section titled “Fix”

  1. Use the DeepSeek Codex template config file built into cc-switch instead of a hand-built provider configuration, so all the key parameters are present.

  2. If the problem persists, add the http_headers field to the config file by hand to force the correct API Key format.

Affected Versions

Section titled “Affected Versions”
ToolCodex
Version3.16.3 - 3.17.0
PlatformsmacOSWindows

Source Issues

Section titled “Source Issues”

This page is distilled from 2 real issues

FAQ

Section titled “FAQ”
Why does the speed test in cc-switch pass while Codex reports 401?
A passing speed test only proves the network path from cc-switch to the provider works and the Key is valid. The Codex client may not read the auth header cc-switch injects, or may still send requests to the official OpenAI address — add http_headers to the configuration by hand.
My Codex sidebar chat history disappeared after switching provider. What now?
That is a known effect of enabling model_provider="cc-switch": the old history is hidden in the sidebar but still findable by search. Removing the provider config brings the history back but makes DeepSeek return 401 again, so getting the model working should come first.
Section titled “Related problems”
DeepSeek API key overwritten, causing a 401Upgrade cc-switch to v3.16.2+ and re-enter the DeepSeek API key, so it is not overwritten by another key when switching provider.4 issues mergedCC Switch local proxy failed while handlingUpgrade CC Switch to the latest version and start a new Codex conversation; invalid schema or image blocks left in old session history will keep triggering 400.43 issues mergedNothing happens, cannot sign in to the official channel - CodexUpgrade cc-switch to v3.16.2 or newer and delete the .codex and .cc switch folders in your home directory, fixing auth.json being overwritten.3 issues merged

This is an unofficial community wiki with no affiliation to the cc-switch authors or the project itself. Its content is compiled from the project's public GitHub issues. This site distributes no software.