remote: Write access to repository not granted. fatal: unable to access

Resolving 'remote: Write access to repository not granted' in Git

This article provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and resolving the common 'remote: Write access to repository not granted. fatal: unable to access' error when pushing to Git repositories, particularly on platforms like GitHub.

Encountering the error 'remote: Write access to repository not granted. fatal: unable to access' is a common hurdle for Git users, especially when interacting with remote repositories on platforms like GitHub. This error indicates that your current authentication context does not have the necessary permissions to push changes to the specified repository. It's a security measure designed to protect repository integrity and ensure only authorized users can modify the codebase. This article will break down the common causes of this error and provide actionable solutions to get you back to pushing your code successfully.

Understanding the Error

The error message is quite explicit: you lack 'write access' to the remote repository. This isn't usually a problem with your local Git setup, but rather with how the remote hosting service (like GitHub) identifies you and what permissions it has granted to your user account for that specific repository. The 'fatal: unable to access' part simply means Git couldn't complete the push operation because of this permission denial.

Git Push Workflow and Permission Check

Common Causes and Solutions

Several factors can lead to this permission error. Identifying the root cause is the first step towards a solution. We'll cover the most frequent scenarios and their corresponding fixes.

1. Incorrect Repository Ownership or Collaboration Status

This is the most straightforward cause. You might be trying to push to a repository that you do not own, or you haven't been added as a collaborator with write permissions. For organizations, you might not be part of the team or group that has write access to the specific repository.

Solution: Verify your permissions. On GitHub, navigate to the repository, then go to 'Settings' -> 'Manage access' (for owners) or check the 'Collaborators' or 'Teams' section. Ensure your user account is listed and has 'Write' or 'Admin' access. If not, request the repository owner to grant you the necessary permissions.

2. Authentication Issues (SSH Keys or Personal Access Tokens)

Git uses SSH keys or Personal Access Tokens (PATs) for authentication when interacting with remote repositories over HTTPS. If your SSH key isn't correctly configured, or your PAT has expired, been revoked, or has insufficient scopes, you won't be able to authenticate properly, leading to a permission denied error.

Solution for SSH: Ensure your SSH key is added to your GitHub account and that the SSH agent is running and has your key loaded. You can test your SSH connection:

ssh -T git@github.com

This command should return a message like 'Hi USERNAME! You've successfully authenticated...' If it fails, your SSH setup needs attention.

Solution for HTTPS (PATs): If you're using HTTPS, you likely authenticate with a Personal Access Token. Ensure your token is still valid, hasn't expired, and has the repo scope (or more specific write scopes like public_repo for public repositories, repo:status etc.) enabled. You might need to generate a new PAT from your GitHub settings ('Developer settings' -> 'Personal access tokens'). When prompted for credentials, use your username and the PAT as the password.

3. Pushing to a Forked Repository Instead of the Original

If you've forked a repository and are trying to push changes back to the original upstream repository, you'll get this error because you don't have write access to the upstream. You only have write access to your own fork.

Solution: You should push your changes to your own forked repository first. Then, from your fork's GitHub page, you can open a Pull Request (PR) to the original upstream repository. This is the standard collaborative workflow for open-source projects.

git remote -v
# Origin should point to your fork (e.g., git@github.com:YOUR_USERNAME/REPO_NAME.git)
git push origin YOUR_BRANCH_NAME

Verify your remotes and push to your fork.

4. Repository Archival or Protection Rules

Less common, but possible: the repository might have been archived, making it read-only. Alternatively, specific branch protection rules might prevent direct pushes to certain branches (like main or master) and require pull requests.

Solution: Check the repository's status on GitHub. If it's archived, you cannot push. If branch protection rules are in place, you'll need to create a new branch, push your changes there, and then open a pull request to merge into the protected branch.

1. Step 1

Verify your username and email are correctly configured in Git: git config user.name and git config user.email.

2. Step 2

Check your remote URL: git remote -v. Ensure it points to the correct repository and uses the right protocol (SSH or HTTPS).

3. Step 3

If using SSH, ensure your SSH key is added to your GitHub account and ssh-agent is running. Test with ssh -T git@github.com.

4. Step 4

If using HTTPS, confirm your Personal Access Token is valid, has the correct scopes, and has not expired. Generate a new one if necessary.

5. Step 5

Confirm you have 'Write' access to the specific repository on GitHub, either as an owner, collaborator, or through team membership.

6. Step 6

If working with a fork, ensure you are pushing to your own fork and not directly to the upstream repository.