{"id":1380,"date":"2026-10-04T21:50:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T21:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/?p=1380"},"modified":"2026-10-04T23:54:40","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T23:54:40","slug":"the-authorization-header-is-missing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/the-authorization-header-is-missing\/","title":{"rendered":"The Authorization Header Is Missing? What Site Health Tested, and the Fix"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What does the authorization header is missing mean in WordPress Site Health?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"In other words, PHP never received the login details Site Health sent to test it. The check sends its own made-up username and password in an Authorization header to a REST endpoint on your site, then looks for them in the PHP variables WordPress reads. When they are absent, the web server or the PHP handler dropped the header on the way. It matters only for apps that log in with an application password, and the fix is one rewrite rule.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What request does Site Health send to test the Authorization header in 2026?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Specifically, a REST request from your browser to the authorization-header test route under wp-json, carrying the header Authorization: Basic with the encoded pair user and pwd. In WordPress 7.1.2 the route then checks whether PHP_AUTH_USER equals user and PHP_AUTH_PW equals pwd. The test is skipped entirely when the site itself sits behind an HTTP password, because those credentials would replace the test pair.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"The authorization header is missing vs invalid: what is the difference in Site Health?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"In practice the first means nothing arrived and the second means the wrong thing arrived. Missing is shown when PHP has no Basic credentials at all, so the header was dropped between the server and WordPress. Invalid is shown when credentials did arrive but they were not user and pwd, so something in the path replaced them, such as a password on the folder or a proxy that sets its own header.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Flushing permalinks vs editing .htaccess by hand: which fixes the Authorization header warning?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Typically flushing is enough, because it rewrites the WordPress block of .htaccess and that block has carried the Authorization rule since WordPress 5.6. Editing by hand is needed when the flush cannot write: the file is not writable, the site uses plain permalinks, or it is a Multisite network, where the flush writes nothing at all. In those cases add the single rewrite line yourself, directly after RewriteEngine On.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Why does the authorization header is missing come back after I flush permalinks?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Typically because the flush did not write anything. WordPress saves the rules only when .htaccess or its folder is writable, writes an empty block on plain permalinks, and skips the file entirely on Multisite. Open .htaccess and look for the line containing HTTP_AUTHORIZATION. If it is absent, the flush failed silently. If it is present and the warning stays, the server is dropping the header before the rule can run.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Is it safe to ignore the authorization header is missing if no app connects to my site?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Indeed it is, as long as nothing logs in to the site with HTTP Basic credentials. Visitors, the block editor and your own admin login use cookies, not this header, so they are unaffected. What breaks is anything that uses an application password, such as an automation tool, a remote publishing app or a script, along with integrations like the WooCommerce REST API that send keys the same way.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How do I check that the Authorization header reaches WordPress 7.1 in 2026?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"First and foremost, test the real feature rather than the warning. Create an application password under your user profile, send one request with curl using your username and that password to the users me endpoint under wp-json, then revoke the password. A 200 with your user means the header arrived. A 401 with rest_not_logged_in means it was dropped, while incorrect_password or invalid_username mean it arrived and the credentials were wrong.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Does AHosting LiteSpeed hosting pass the Authorization header to WordPress in 2026?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Notably, WordPress treats LiteSpeed the same way it treats Apache, so on AHosting shared and WordPress plans Site Health offers the Flush permalinks action and writes the Authorization rule into .htaccess when permalinks are pretty and the file is writable. Whether your own site receives the header is a one-minute check with the application password test in this guide. If the rule is present and the test still fails, contact support.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Can AHosting support help when Site Health says the authorization header is missing?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Above all, try the two steps in this guide first, because together they settle most cases: confirm the rewrite line is in .htaccess, then run the application password test. If the line is in place and the test still returns rest_not_logged_in, the header is being lost before WordPress runs, which you cannot change from inside the account. In that case open a ticket with the line Site Health printed and we will look at it with you.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Do I need an AHosting VPS to use WordPress application passwords in 2026?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Fortunately not for the header alone. Application passwords need HTTPS and a server that passes the Authorization header through, and on shared hosting the rewrite rule in this guide is the usual way to get it. A VPS makes sense when you need to change the web server configuration itself, for example a proxy or a handler setting, which no account-level file can reach.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-aioseo-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-what-the-authorization-header-is-missing-actually-tests\">What \u201cThe Authorization Header Is Missing\u201d Actually Tests<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-site-health-sends-its-own-test-login\">Site Health Sends Its Own Test Login<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-where-it-sits-on-the-site-health-screen\">Where It Sits on the Site Health Screen<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-missing-or-invalid-two-labels-two-different-faults\">Missing or Invalid: Two Labels, Two Different Faults<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-why-invalid-points-somewhere-else\">Why \u201cInvalid\u201d Points Somewhere Else<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-does-the-authorization-header-warning-matter-on-your-site\">Does the Authorization Header Warning Matter on Your Site?<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-what-actually-breaks-when-the-header-is-lost\">What Actually Breaks When the Header Is Lost<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing-and-it-is-safe-to-leave\">When the Authorization Header Is Missing and It Is Safe to Leave<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-why-the-authorization-header-is-missing-on-cgi-and-fastcgi-servers\">Why the Authorization Header Is Missing on CGI and FastCGI Servers<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-the-two-halves-of-the-wordpress-fix\">The Two Halves of the WordPress Fix<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-what-that-means-on-litespeed\">What That Means on LiteSpeed<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-why-flush-permalinks-sometimes-leaves-the-authorization-header-missing\">Why \u201cFlush Permalinks\u201d Sometimes Leaves the Authorization Header Missing<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-a-file-php-cannot-write\">A File PHP Cannot Write<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-multisite-networks-built-before-5-6\">Multisite Networks Built Before 5.6<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-how-to-add-the-authorization-rule-by-hand\">How to Add the Authorization Rule by Hand<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-is-it-safe-to-edit-inside-the-wordpress-markers\">Is It Safe to Edit Inside the WordPress Markers?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-prove-the-header-reaches-wordpress-with-an-application-password\">Prove the Header Reaches WordPress With an Application Password<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-why-the-authorization-header-is-missing-can-hide-a-rest-failure\">Why the Authorization Header Is Missing Can Hide a REST Failure<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing-because-of-the-server\">When the Authorization Header Is Missing Because of the Server<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#aioseo-a-practical-checklist-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing\">A Practical Checklist When the Authorization Header Is Missing<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-the-authorization-header-is-missing\">Frequently Asked Questions: The Authorization Header Is Missing<\/a><ul><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-what-does-the-authorization-header-is-missing-mean-in-wordpress\">What does the authorization header is missing mean in WordPress Site Health?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-what-request-does-site-health-send-to-test-the-authorization-header-in-2026\">What request does Site Health send to test the Authorization header in 2026?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-the-authorization-header-is-missing-vs-invalid\">The authorization header is missing vs invalid: what is the difference in Site Health?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-flushing-permalinks-vs-editing-htaccess-by-hand\">Flushing permalinks vs editing .htaccess by hand: which fixes the Authorization header warning?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-why-does-the-authorization-header-is-missing-come-back-after-a-flush\">Why does the authorization header is missing come back after I flush permalinks?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-is-it-safe-to-ignore-the-authorization-header-is-missing\">Is it safe to ignore the authorization header is missing if no app connects to my site?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-how-do-i-check-the-authorization-header-reaches-wordpress-7-1-in-2026\">How do I check that the Authorization header reaches WordPress 7.1 in 2026?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-does-ahosting-litespeed-hosting-pass-the-authorization-header-in-2026\">Does AHosting LiteSpeed hosting pass the Authorization header to WordPress in 2026?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-can-ahosting-support-help-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing\">Can AHosting support help when Site Health says the authorization header is missing?<\/a><\/li><li><a class=\"aioseo-toc-item\" href=\"#faq-do-i-need-an-ahosting-vps-to-use-wordpress-application-passwords-in-2026\">Do I need an AHosting VPS to use WordPress application passwords in 2026?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"ah-tldr\">\n  <span class=\"ah-tldr-badge\">TL;DR<\/span>\n  <p>The authorization header is missing means Site Health sent its own test login in an Authorization header and PHP never received it, so the web server or the PHP handler dropped it. No plugin sent it and no visitor is affected; it matters only to apps that log in with an application password. WordPress fixes it with one rewrite rule that &#8220;Flush permalinks&#8221; writes, except in four cases where the flush cannot write anything. Then prove it worked with a real application password, not with the warning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-what-the-authorization-header-is-missing-actually-tests\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What \u201cThe Authorization Header Is Missing\u201d Actually Tests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The authorization header is missing is a Site Health result most site owners meet without ever having connected an app to WordPress, which is why it is confusing. The text under it talks about \u201cthird-party applications you have approved\u201d, and the common advice is to disable plugins until it goes away. Read against the code that produces it, that advice misses: during the test, the third-party application is Site Health itself, and no plugin is involved. The result tells you one thing, that a header did not reach PHP, and whether that matters depends entirely on what logs in to your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio preload=\"none\" controls src=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/PODCAST-the-authorization-header-is-missing.m4a\"><\/audio><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Listen: the third-party app in the warning is Site Health&#8217;s own test login, and the fix is a single rewrite rule that a permalink flush cannot always write. By Matt Chrust, Director of Business Development, AHosting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-site-health-sends-its-own-test-login\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Site Health Sends Its Own Test Login<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An Authorization header is how a program proves who it is on each request, without a login form or a cookie. The Basic form is a username and password joined by a colon and encoded, which is exactly how <a href=\"https:\/\/learning.postman.com\/docs\/sending-requests\/authorization\/authorization-types\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Postman sets Basic auth on a request<\/a> and how curl sends it with <code>-u<\/code>. The Site Health test, <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.wordpress.org\/reference\/classes\/wp_site_health\/get_test_authorization_header\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">documented in the code reference<\/a> and introduced in WordPress 5.6, sends that header from your browser to a REST route on your own site, carrying the deliberately fake pair <code>user<\/code> and <code>pwd<\/code>. Once it arrives, the route checks two PHP variables:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><code>$_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_USER']<\/code> must equal <code>user<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><code>$_SERVER['PHP_AUTH_PW']<\/code> must equal <code>pwd<\/code>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If both are absent, the label reads <em>The authorization header is missing<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If they hold anything else, it reads <em>The authorization header is invalid<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"ah-yt\" data-id=\"Uxls6dIMXUU\" data-title=\"The Authorization Header Is Missing in WordPress Explained (2026)\"><img src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Uxls6dIMXUU\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"ah-yt-play\" aria-label=\"Play video: The Authorization Header Is Missing in WordPress Explained (2026)\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-where-it-sits-on-the-site-health-screen\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where It Sits on the Site Health Screen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both failure labels carry the blue <em>Security<\/em> badge and the status <em>recommended<\/em>, not critical. They sit under the async tests, so the result appears a moment after the screen loads. The test is also skipped entirely when the site itself sits behind an HTTP password, because the outer password would replace the test pair. A password-protected staging copy never shows this result, while the same site on its live domain can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"ah-infographic\">\n  <svg viewBox=\"0 0 720 400\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Diagram of the Authorization header's path from Site Health to WordPress. Without the rewrite rule, a CGI or FastCGI handler drops the header, PHP_AUTH_USER is empty and Site Health reports the authorization header is missing. With the rule, the web server copies the header into the HTTP_AUTHORIZATION variable and WordPress copies that into PHP_AUTH_USER, so the test passes.\">\n    <title>Where the Authorization header gets lost, and how the rewrite rule carries it through<\/title>\n    <desc>Site Health sends Authorization: Basic with the pair user and pwd to its own REST route. The request passes the web server, then the PHP handler, then reaches WordPress, which looks for PHP_AUTH_USER and PHP_AUTH_PW. On the top path there is no rule: a CGI or FastCGI handler does not pass the header, the variables are empty, and the label is The authorization header is missing. On the bottom path the WordPress rewrite rule copies the header into the HTTP_AUTHORIZATION environment variable, which survives the handler, and WordPress copies it into PHP_AUTH_USER and PHP_AUTH_PW at load time. The label is The Authorization header is working as expected.<\/desc>\n    <rect x=\"0\" y=\"0\" width=\"720\" height=\"400\" fill=\"#0f172a\"\/>\n    <text x=\"32\" y=\"40\" fill=\"#ffffff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"19\" font-weight=\"700\">Where the Authorization header gets lost.<\/text>\n    <text x=\"32\" y=\"63\" fill=\"#eef3ff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"13\">The same test request, without and with the WordPress rewrite rule (WordPress 7.1.2).<\/text>\n    <rect x=\"32\" y=\"88\" width=\"656\" height=\"44\" fill=\"#1e293b\" stroke=\"#2563eb\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"48\" y=\"115\" fill=\"#ffffff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"13\" font-weight=\"700\">Site Health sends  Authorization: Basic user:pwd  to its own REST route<\/text>\n    <text x=\"32\" y=\"168\" fill=\"#fca5a5\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">NO RULE<\/text>\n    <rect x=\"32\" y=\"178\" width=\"196\" height=\"64\" fill=\"#1e293b\" stroke=\"#334155\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"46\" y=\"204\" fill=\"#ffffff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">Web server<\/text>\n    <text x=\"46\" y=\"224\" fill=\"#94a3b8\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"11\">receives the header<\/text>\n    <rect x=\"262\" y=\"178\" width=\"196\" height=\"64\" fill=\"#1e293b\" stroke=\"#ef4444\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"276\" y=\"204\" fill=\"#fca5a5\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">CGI \/ FastCGI handler<\/text>\n    <text x=\"276\" y=\"224\" fill=\"#eef3ff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"11\">does not pass it on<\/text>\n    <rect x=\"492\" y=\"178\" width=\"196\" height=\"64\" fill=\"#1e293b\" stroke=\"#ef4444\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"506\" y=\"204\" fill=\"#ffffff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">PHP_AUTH_USER empty<\/text>\n    <text x=\"506\" y=\"224\" fill=\"#fca5a5\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"11\">header is missing<\/text>\n    <line x1=\"228\" y1=\"210\" x2=\"262\" y2=\"210\" stroke=\"#334155\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <line x1=\"458\" y1=\"210\" x2=\"492\" y2=\"210\" stroke=\"#334155\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"32\" y=\"276\" fill=\"#86efac\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">WITH THE WORDPRESS RULE<\/text>\n    <rect x=\"32\" y=\"286\" width=\"196\" height=\"64\" fill=\"#1e293b\" stroke=\"#2563eb\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"46\" y=\"312\" fill=\"#ffffff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">Rewrite rule copies it<\/text>\n    <text x=\"46\" y=\"332\" fill=\"#94a3b8\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"11\">into HTTP_AUTHORIZATION<\/text>\n    <rect x=\"262\" y=\"286\" width=\"196\" height=\"64\" fill=\"#1e293b\" stroke=\"#2563eb\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"276\" y=\"312\" fill=\"#ffffff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">Handler passes the<\/text>\n    <text x=\"276\" y=\"332\" fill=\"#94a3b8\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"11\">variable to PHP<\/text>\n    <rect x=\"492\" y=\"286\" width=\"196\" height=\"64\" fill=\"#1e293b\" stroke=\"#22c55e\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"506\" y=\"312\" fill=\"#ffffff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\">WordPress fills<\/text>\n    <text x=\"506\" y=\"332\" fill=\"#86efac\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"11\">PHP_AUTH_USER: test passes<\/text>\n    <line x1=\"228\" y1=\"318\" x2=\"262\" y2=\"318\" stroke=\"#334155\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <line x1=\"458\" y1=\"318\" x2=\"492\" y2=\"318\" stroke=\"#334155\" stroke-width=\"2\"\/>\n    <text x=\"32\" y=\"386\" fill=\"#eef3ff\" font-family=\"Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\" font-size=\"12\">The label only says the header did not arrive. It does not say which layer dropped it.<\/text>\n  <\/svg>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-missing-or-invalid-two-labels-two-different-faults\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Missing or Invalid: Two Labels, Two Different Faults<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two failure labels look like the same complaint, but they come from different branches of the check and point at different layers. Knowing which one you have rules out half the causes before you open a file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table ah-ladder\"><table><thead><tr><th>Label<\/th><th>What PHP received<\/th><th>Status<\/th><th>What usually causes it<\/th><th>What can fix it<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>The authorization header is missing<\/td><td>No Basic credentials at all<\/td><td>Recommended<\/td><td>A CGI or FastCGI handler that does not pass the header, with no rule to carry it<\/td><td>The rewrite rule, written by a flush or by hand<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The authorization header is invalid<\/td><td>Credentials, but not user and pwd<\/td><td>Recommended<\/td><td>A folder password, a proxy or a security layer that sets its own header<\/td><td>Removing or excluding the layer that replaced it<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The Authorization header is working as expected<\/td><td>Exactly user and pwd<\/td><td>Good<\/td><td>Nothing<\/td><td>Nothing to fix<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The three Authorization header results in Site Health \u2014 what WordPress 7.1.2 checks and which layer each result points at.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-why-invalid-points-somewhere-else\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why \u201cInvalid\u201d Points Somewhere Else<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An invalid result means the header did get through, so the rewrite rule is not the problem. Something swapped the credentials on the way. On a cPanel account the usual source is Directory Privacy, which puts a real password on the folder: the browser then sends those credentials instead of the test pair. A proxy that adds its own Authorization header does the same. Flushing permalinks cannot touch either one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-does-the-authorization-header-warning-matter-on-your-site\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does the Authorization Header Warning Matter on Your Site?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here is the question none of the usual guides ask. The header only matters to programs that log in with HTTP Basic credentials, and in WordPress core that means application passwords. Your visitors, the block editor and your own admin login all use cookies, so when the authorization header is missing none of them notice anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-what-actually-breaks-when-the-header-is-lost\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Actually Breaks When the Header Is Lost<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Application passwords are separate credentials WordPress issues for programs, and <a href=\"https:\/\/make.wordpress.org\/core\/2020\/11\/05\/application-passwords-integration-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the core integration guide<\/a> notes that by default they are available only on sites served over SSL. They work on REST API and XML-RPC requests only. When the header is lost, every one of these fails with a login error even though the password is correct:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Automation tools. <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.n8n.io\/integrations\/builtin\/credentials\/wordpress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">n8n\u2019s WordPress credential<\/a>, for example, asks for a username and an application password.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remote publishing apps and scripts that post through the REST API.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WooCommerce\u2019s own REST API keys, which <a href=\"https:\/\/woocommerce.github.io\/woocommerce-rest-api-docs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">its documentation<\/a> sends as HTTP Basic auth, and which fail with \u201cConsumer key is missing\u201d on servers that do not parse the header.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing-and-it-is-safe-to-leave\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">When the Authorization Header Is Missing and It Is Safe to Leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If nothing connects to the site that way, leaving the warning alone has no effect on how the site runs, and some owners switch application passwords off on purpose because they authenticate without passing through the login form. That is a security choice, and a reasonable one. What is not reasonable is guessing: a plugin you install next month may depend on the header. Our knowledge base article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/faq\/wordpress-hosting\/securing-the-wordpress-rest-api-and-xml-rpc.html\">securing the REST API and XML-RPC<\/a> covers how to keep application passwords tidy if you do use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-why-the-authorization-header-is-missing-on-cgi-and-fastcgi-servers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Authorization Header Is Missing on CGI and FastCGI Servers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The code itself names the cause. The WordPress function that repairs the header carries the comment that some servers running in CGI or FastCGI mode do not pass the Authorization header on to WordPress. When PHP runs as a separate process from the web server, which is how most shared hosting runs it, the server decides which request headers become PHP variables, and some servers do not pass this one on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-the-two-halves-of-the-wordpress-fix\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Two Halves of the WordPress Fix<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WordPress works around it in two steps. First, the rewrite block it writes to <code>.htaccess<\/code> contains <code>RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]<\/code>, which copies the incoming header into a server variable called <code>HTTP_AUTHORIZATION<\/code>. The <code>E=<\/code> flag, as <a href=\"https:\/\/httpd.apache.org\/docs\/2.4\/rewrite\/flags.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Apache rewrite flags manual<\/a> explains, sets an environment variable, and after an internal rewrite the server renames it with a <code>REDIRECT_<\/code> prefix. Second, early in every page load, WordPress reads <code>HTTP_AUTHORIZATION<\/code> or <code>REDIRECT_HTTP_AUTHORIZATION<\/code>, decodes the Basic pair and fills <code>PHP_AUTH_USER<\/code> and <code>PHP_AUTH_PW<\/code> itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-what-that-means-on-litespeed\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What That Means on LiteSpeed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our shared servers run LiteSpeed with PHP as a separate process under each site\u2019s own user. WordPress counts LiteSpeed as Apache: its server check is true for either name, so Site Health shows the <em>Flush permalinks<\/em> action and WordPress writes the rule into <code>.htaccess<\/code> exactly as it would on Apache. Whether the header then arrives on your site is not something to assume either way. The application password test further down answers it in about a minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-why-flush-permalinks-sometimes-leaves-the-authorization-header-missing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why \u201cFlush Permalinks\u201d Sometimes Leaves the Authorization Header Missing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every guide on the first page of results says to flush permalinks, and often that works: saving Settings, Permalinks rewrites the WordPress block, and that block has carried the Authorization rule since 5.6. But the flush fails silently in four situations, and in each one the authorization header is missing after the flush exactly as before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table ah-ladder\"><table><thead><tr><th>Situation<\/th><th>What the flush does<\/th><th>Why<\/th><th>What to do instead<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>.htaccess not writable<\/td><td>Nothing, and no message<\/td><td>WordPress writes only when the file, or its folder if the file is absent, is writable by PHP<\/td><td>Fix ownership, then flush again, or edit by hand<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Plain permalinks (?p=123)<\/td><td>Writes an empty block<\/td><td>With no pretty permalinks WordPress generates no rewrite rules at all<\/td><td>Choose a pretty structure, or add the line by hand<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Multisite network<\/td><td>Nothing at all<\/td><td>Saving permalinks never writes .htaccess on Multisite<\/td><td>Add the line by hand to the network file<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>nginx<\/td><td>No flush action is offered<\/td><td>nginx does not read .htaccess, so there is nothing to write<\/td><td>Change the server configuration<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When flushing permalinks cannot fix the Authorization header \u2014 four cases read from the WordPress 7.1.2 source.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-a-file-php-cannot-write\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A File PHP Cannot Write<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first case is the most common on accounts that were moved or restored by hand. If <code>.htaccess<\/code> belongs to a different user than the one PHP runs as, WordPress cannot rewrite it and simply skips the step. The same ownership fault is what makes WordPress ask for FTP details, and our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/wordpress-asking-for-ftp-credentials\/\">WordPress asking for FTP credentials<\/a> shows how to spot it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-multisite-networks-built-before-5-6\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Multisite Networks Built Before 5.6<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A network\u2019s <code>.htaccess<\/code> comes from the block the Network Setup screen tells you to paste, and the current block includes the Authorization rule. A network set up before WordPress 5.6 was given a block without it, and nothing has updated the file since. Our page on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/wordpress-multisite-hosting\/\">WordPress Multisite hosting<\/a> covers what else differs on a network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-how-to-add-the-authorization-rule-by-hand\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Add the Authorization Rule by Hand<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the flush cannot write, add the line yourself. It takes two minutes in the cPanel File Manager, and it is the same line WordPress would have written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open the File Manager, turn on hidden files, and open <code>.htaccess<\/code> in the WordPress folder.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find the block that starts <code># BEGIN WordPress<\/code> and the line <code>RewriteEngine On<\/code> inside it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Directly below <code>RewriteEngine On<\/code>, add <code>RewriteRule .* - [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]<\/code> on its own line, unless it is already there.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Save, reload Site Health, and wait a moment for the async tests to run again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-is-it-safe-to-edit-inside-the-wordpress-markers\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is It Safe to Edit Inside the WordPress Markers?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Normally anything between <code># BEGIN WordPress<\/code> and <code># END WordPress<\/code> is overwritten on the next flush. Here that is harmless, because the line you added is the line WordPress writes itself: a later successful flush puts it back in the same place. On Multisite the markers are yours, and the line goes directly after <code>RewriteEngine On<\/code> in the block the Network Setup screen shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-prove-the-header-reaches-wordpress-with-an-application-password\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prove the Header Reaches WordPress With an Application Password<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The warning is a proxy for the thing you actually care about, which is whether a real program can log in. Test that directly. Under Users, Profile, create an application password named <em>header test<\/em>, then run one request from your own computer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><code>curl -u yourname:\"xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx\" https:\/\/example.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/me<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Replace the name, the password WordPress showed you, and the domain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read the status and the <code>code<\/code> field in the reply, then revoke the test password.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table ah-ladder\"><table><thead><tr><th>What came back<\/th><th>What it means<\/th><th>First fix<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>200 with your user details<\/td><td>The header arrived and the password worked<\/td><td>Nothing; the warning should clear after the rule is in place<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>401 rest_not_logged_in<\/td><td>WordPress saw no credentials: the header was dropped, or application passwords are switched off<\/td><td>Confirm the rule is in .htaccess, then check whether a security plugin disables application passwords<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>401 incorrect_password<\/td><td>The header arrived; the password did not match<\/td><td>Copy the password again, spaces and all<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>401 invalid_username<\/td><td>The header arrived; the username did not match<\/td><td>Use the login name, not the display name<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>401 application_passwords_disabled_for_user<\/td><td>The header arrived; the feature is off for that user<\/td><td>Check any plugin or setting that limits application passwords by role<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>403 or an HTML page<\/td><td>Something in front of WordPress refused the request<\/td><td>Read the security plugin and firewall logs for the time of the test<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The AHosting Authorization Header Decoder \u2014 what an application password request returns, what it proves about the header, and the first fix.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<style>\n.ahah-tool{background:#0f172a;border-radius:10px;padding:22px;margin:26px 0;color:#fff;font-size:.95rem}\n.ahah-tool h3{color:#fff;margin:0 0 6px;font-size:1.15rem}\n.ahah-tool p.ahah-sub{color:#eef3ff;margin:0 0 18px;font-size:.88rem}\n.ahah-f{margin-bottom:14px}\n.ahah-f label{display:block;color:#eef3ff;font-size:.8rem;margin-bottom:5px}\n.ahah-f select{width:100%;padding:8px;border:1px solid #334155;border-radius:6px;background:#1e293b;color:#fff;font-size:.9rem;box-sizing:border-box}\n.ahah-btn{background:#2563eb;color:#fff;border:0;border-radius:6px;padding:10px 20px;font-size:.92rem;cursor:pointer;text-decoration:none;display:inline-block}\n.ahah-out{margin-top:18px;padding:16px;background:#1e293b;border-left:4px solid #2563eb;border-radius:6px;display:none}\n.ahah-out.ahah-on{display:block}\n.ahah-num{font-size:1.15rem;font-weight:700;color:#60a5fa;display:block;margin-bottom:8px}\n.ahah-out p{margin:0 0 10px;color:#fff}\n.ahah-out p strong{color:#93c5fd}\n.ahah-note{color:#94a3b8;font-size:.78rem;margin-top:12px}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"ahah-tool\" data-ahah=\"decoder\">\n  <h3>Authorization Header Decoder<\/h3>\n  <p class=\"ahah-sub\">Four questions about your site and what Site Health printed. The answer names the most likely reason the header is lost and the next thing to do.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"ahah-f\">\n    <label for=\"ahah-label\">Which label does Site Health show?<\/label>\n    <select id=\"ahah-label\">\n      <option value=\"missing\" selected>The authorization header is missing<\/option>\n      <option value=\"invalid\">The authorization header is invalid<\/option>\n    <\/select>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ahah-f\">\n    <label for=\"ahah-server\">Which web server runs the site?<\/label>\n    <select id=\"ahah-server\">\n      <option value=\"apache\" selected>LiteSpeed or Apache (uses .htaccess)<\/option>\n      <option value=\"nginx\">nginx, or I do not know<\/option>\n    <\/select>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ahah-f\">\n    <label for=\"ahah-site\">What kind of install is it?<\/label>\n    <select id=\"ahah-site\">\n      <option value=\"pretty\" selected>Single site, pretty permalinks<\/option>\n      <option value=\"plain\">Single site, plain permalinks (?p=123)<\/option>\n      <option value=\"multi\">Multisite network<\/option>\n    <\/select>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"ahah-f\">\n    <label for=\"ahah-flush\">Is the HTTP_AUTHORIZATION line in .htaccess?<\/label>\n    <select id=\"ahah-flush\">\n      <option value=\"unknown\" selected>I have not looked<\/option>\n      <option value=\"absent\">No, it is not there<\/option>\n      <option value=\"present\">Yes, and the warning is still there<\/option>\n    <\/select>\n  <\/div>\n  <button class=\"ahah-btn wp-element-button\" id=\"ahah-go\" type=\"button\">Decode it<\/button>\n  <div class=\"ahah-out\" id=\"ahah-out\">\n    <span class=\"ahah-num\" id=\"ahah-num\">&#8212;<\/span>\n    <p><strong>Most likely:<\/strong> <span id=\"ahah-what\"><\/span><\/p>\n    <p><strong>Do this next:<\/strong> <span id=\"ahah-next\"><\/span><\/p>\n    <p class=\"ahah-note\">Read from the WordPress 7.1.2 source. It cannot see your server, so treat the answer as where to start, not as a diagnosis.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script>\n(function(){\n  document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function(){\n    var tool = document.querySelector('[data-ahah]');\n    if (!tool) { return; }\n    var mode = tool.getAttribute('data-ahah');\n    if (mode !== 'decoder') { return; }\n    var go = document.getElementById('ahah-go');\n    if (!go) { return; }\n    var out = document.getElementById('ahah-out');\n    if (!out) { return; }\n    var num = document.getElementById('ahah-num');\n    if (!num) { return; }\n    var what = document.getElementById('ahah-what');\n    if (!what) { return; }\n    var next = document.getElementById('ahah-next');\n    if (!next) { return; }\n    var HEAD = {};\n    HEAD['replaced'] = 'Something replaced the credentials';\n    HEAD['nginx'] = 'No .htaccess to write';\n    HEAD['plain'] = 'Plain permalinks write no rules';\n    HEAD['multi'] = 'Multisite skips the flush';\n    HEAD['look'] = 'Check the file first';\n    HEAD['notwritten'] = 'The flush did not write the line';\n    HEAD['upstream'] = 'Lost before the rule can run';\n    var WHAT = {};\n    WHAT['replaced'] = 'Credentials arrived, but not the test pair. A password on the folder, a proxy in front of the site, or a security layer that sets its own header is answering instead.';\n    WHAT['nginx'] = 'nginx ignores .htaccess, so WordPress cannot write the rule and Site Health offers a documentation link instead of the flush action.';\n    WHAT['plain'] = 'With plain permalinks WordPress writes an empty rewrite block, so the Authorization rule never reaches .htaccess however many times you flush.';\n    WHAT['multi'] = 'On Multisite, saving permalinks never writes .htaccess. The rule exists only in the block the Network Setup screen gave you, and older networks never got it.';\n    WHAT['look'] = 'Whether the flush wrote the rule decides everything that follows, and it fails without any message.';\n    WHAT['notwritten'] = 'WordPress writes .htaccess only when the file, or its folder if the file is absent, is writable by PHP. Otherwise the flush does nothing and says nothing.';\n    WHAT['upstream'] = 'The rule is in place, so the header is being dropped or rejected before the rewrite rules run, at a layer no account-level file controls.';\n    var NEXT = {};\n    NEXT['replaced'] = 'In cPanel check Directory Privacy for the WordPress folder, then any proxy or firewall in front of the domain. Remove the outer password or test without it.';\n    NEXT['nginx'] = 'Ask whoever manages the server config to pass the header to PHP, or move the site to a server that reads .htaccess.';\n    NEXT['plain'] = 'Switch to a pretty permalink structure and save, or add the rewrite line to .htaccess by hand, directly after RewriteEngine On.';\n    NEXT['multi'] = 'Add the rewrite line by hand to the network .htaccess, directly after RewriteEngine On, matching the current Network Setup block.';\n    NEXT['look'] = 'Open .htaccess in the cPanel File Manager and search for HTTP_AUTHORIZATION, then run this again with what you found.';\n    NEXT['notwritten'] = 'Fix the ownership or permissions of .htaccess, save Permalinks again, and confirm the line appears. Or add it by hand.';\n    NEXT['upstream'] = 'Run the application password test from this guide. If it returns rest_not_logged_in with the line present, open a ticket with the line Site Health printed.';\n    go.addEventListener('click', function(){\n      var lab = document.getElementById('ahah-label');\n      if (!lab) { return; }\n      var srv = document.getElementById('ahah-server');\n      if (!srv) { return; }\n      var site = document.getElementById('ahah-site');\n      if (!site) { return; }\n      var fl = document.getElementById('ahah-flush');\n      if (!fl) { return; }\n      var k = 'look';\n      if (fl.value === 'absent') { k = 'notwritten'; }\n      if (fl.value === 'present') { k = 'upstream'; }\n      if (fl.value !== 'present') {\n        if (site.value === 'plain') { k = 'plain'; }\n        if (site.value === 'multi') { k = 'multi'; }\n      }\n      if (srv.value === 'nginx') { k = 'nginx'; }\n      if (lab.value === 'invalid') { k = 'replaced'; }\n      num.innerHTML = HEAD[k];\n      what.innerHTML = WHAT[k];\n      next.innerHTML = NEXT[k];\n      out.className = 'ahah-out ahah-on';\n    });\n  });\n})();\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"aioseo-why-the-authorization-header-is-missing-can-hide-a-rest-failure\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Authorization Header Is Missing Can Hide a REST Failure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Site Health test is itself a REST request, so if the REST API is blocked the header check cannot pass either. When the REST test on the same screen is also red, start with our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/the-rest-api-encountered-an-error\/\">the REST API encountered an error<\/a>. If you restricted the REST API on purpose, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/stop-rest-api-user-enumeration\/\">stopping REST API user enumeration<\/a> shows how to close the risky parts without breaking authenticated requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing-because-of-the-server\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">When the Authorization Header Is Missing Because of the Server<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most cases end at the manual rule. On our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/wordpress-hosting.html\">WordPress hosting plans<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/web-hosting.html\">standard web hosting plans<\/a> WordPress treats the server as Apache, so the flush action is offered and the rule goes into <code>.htaccess<\/code> like on any Apache host. What remains is the case you cannot settle from inside the account: the line is in place, the application password test still returns <code>rest_not_logged_in<\/code>, and no plugin disables the feature. If the header still does not arrive after the rule is in place, open a ticket with the line Site Health printed and we will look at it with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some setups need a change to the web server itself, such as a reverse proxy that strips the header or a handler setting, and no file inside a shared account can reach that. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/vps-hosting.html\">A VPS with full root access<\/a> puts that configuration in your hands. One recommended item in Site Health is not a reason to move; an integration you depend on that cannot authenticate might be. If both the loopback and REST tests are failing as well, our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahosting.net\/blog\/your-site-could-not-complete-a-loopback-request\/\">the failed loopback request<\/a> is the place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"aioseo-a-practical-checklist-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Practical Checklist When the Authorization Header Is Missing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Note whether the label says missing or invalid before changing anything.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Decide whether anything logs in with an application password or REST API keys.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the label is invalid, check cPanel Directory Privacy and any proxy in front of the site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open .htaccess and search for the HTTP_AUTHORIZATION line.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If it is absent, save Settings, Permalinks once and look again.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If it is still absent, check ownership, the permalink setting and whether it is Multisite.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add the line by hand, directly after RewriteEngine On.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the application password test and read the code in the reply.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Revoke the test password when you are done.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open a ticket only when the line is present and the test still returns rest_not_logged_in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"faq-the-authorization-header-is-missing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions: The Authorization Header Is Missing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-what-does-the-authorization-header-is-missing-mean-in-wordpress\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does the authorization header is missing mean in WordPress Site Health?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, PHP never received the login details Site Health sent to test it. The check sends its own made-up username and password in an Authorization header to a REST endpoint on your site, then looks for them in the PHP variables WordPress reads. When they are absent, the web server or the PHP handler dropped the header on the way. It matters only for apps that log in with an application password, and the fix is one rewrite rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-what-request-does-site-health-send-to-test-the-authorization-header-in-2026\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What request does Site Health send to test the Authorization header in 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Specifically, a REST request from your browser to the authorization-header test route under wp-json, carrying the header Authorization: Basic with the encoded pair user and pwd. In WordPress 7.1.2 the route then checks whether PHP_AUTH_USER equals user and PHP_AUTH_PW equals pwd. The test is skipped entirely when the site itself sits behind an HTTP password, because those credentials would replace the test pair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-the-authorization-header-is-missing-vs-invalid\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The authorization header is missing vs invalid: what is the difference in Site Health?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice the first means nothing arrived and the second means the wrong thing arrived. Missing is shown when PHP has no Basic credentials at all, so the header was dropped between the server and WordPress. Invalid is shown when credentials did arrive but they were not user and pwd, so something in the path replaced them, such as a password on the folder or a proxy that sets its own header.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-flushing-permalinks-vs-editing-htaccess-by-hand\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Flushing permalinks vs editing .htaccess by hand: which fixes the Authorization header warning?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically flushing is enough, because it rewrites the WordPress block of .htaccess and that block has carried the Authorization rule since WordPress 5.6. Editing by hand is needed when the flush cannot write: the file is not writable, the site uses plain permalinks, or it is a Multisite network, where the flush writes nothing at all. In those cases add the single rewrite line yourself, directly after RewriteEngine On.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-why-does-the-authorization-header-is-missing-come-back-after-a-flush\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why does the authorization header is missing come back after I flush permalinks?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically because the flush did not write anything. WordPress saves the rules only when .htaccess or its folder is writable, writes an empty block on plain permalinks, and skips the file entirely on Multisite. Open .htaccess and look for the line containing HTTP_AUTHORIZATION. If it is absent, the flush failed silently. If it is present and the warning stays, the server is dropping the header before the rule can run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-is-it-safe-to-ignore-the-authorization-header-is-missing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it safe to ignore the authorization header is missing if no app connects to my site?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed it is, as long as nothing logs in to the site with HTTP Basic credentials. Visitors, the block editor and your own admin login use cookies, not this header, so they are unaffected. What breaks is anything that uses an application password, such as an automation tool, a remote publishing app or a script, along with integrations like the WooCommerce REST API that send keys the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-how-do-i-check-the-authorization-header-reaches-wordpress-7-1-in-2026\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I check that the Authorization header reaches WordPress 7.1 in 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First and foremost, test the real feature rather than the warning. Create an application password under your user profile, send one request with curl using your username and that password to the users me endpoint under wp-json, then revoke the password. A 200 with your user means the header arrived. A 401 with rest_not_logged_in means it was dropped, while incorrect_password or invalid_username mean it arrived and the credentials were wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-does-ahosting-litespeed-hosting-pass-the-authorization-header-in-2026\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does AHosting LiteSpeed hosting pass the Authorization header to WordPress in 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notably, WordPress treats LiteSpeed the same way it treats Apache, so on AHosting shared and WordPress plans Site Health offers the Flush permalinks action and writes the Authorization rule into .htaccess when permalinks are pretty and the file is writable. Whether your own site receives the header is a one-minute check with the application password test in this guide. If the rule is present and the test still fails, contact support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-can-ahosting-support-help-when-the-authorization-header-is-missing\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can AHosting support help when Site Health says the authorization header is missing?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Above all, try the two steps in this guide first, because together they settle most cases: confirm the rewrite line is in .htaccess, then run the application password test. If the line is in place and the test still returns rest_not_logged_in, the header is being lost before WordPress runs, which you cannot change from inside the account. In that case open a ticket with the line Site Health printed and we will look at it with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"faq-do-i-need-an-ahosting-vps-to-use-wordpress-application-passwords-in-2026\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I need an AHosting VPS to use WordPress application passwords in 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately not for the header alone. Application passwords need HTTPS and a server that passes the Authorization header through, and on shared hosting the rewrite rule in this guide is the usual way to get it. A VPS makes sense when you need to change the web server configuration itself, for example a proxy or a handler setting, which no account-level file can reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script>\n(function(){\n  document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function(){\n    var allH3s = document.querySelectorAll('h3.wp-block-heading');\n    var inFaq = false;\n    for (var i = 0; i < allH3s.length; i++) {\n      var h3 = allH3s[i];\n      var prev = h3.previousElementSibling;\n      if (prev) {\n        if (prev.tagName === 'H2') {\n          var prevId = prev.getAttribute('id');\n          if (prevId) {\n            if (prevId.indexOf('faq-') === 0) {\n              inFaq = true;\n            } else {\n              inFaq = false;\n            }\n          }\n        }\n      }\n      if (inFaq) {\n        initToggle(h3);\n      }\n    }\n    function initToggle(h3) {\n      var answer = h3.nextElementSibling;\n      if (!answer) { return; }\n      if (answer.tagName !== 'P') { return; }\n      answer.style.display = 'none';\n      h3.style.cursor = 'pointer';\n      h3.setAttribute('tabindex', '0');\n      h3.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');\n      h3.addEventListener('click', function(){\n        toggleOne(h3, answer);\n      });\n      h3.addEventListener('keydown', function(ev){\n        if (ev.key === 'Enter') { toggleOne(h3, answer); }\n        if (ev.key === ' ') { ev.preventDefault(); toggleOne(h3, answer); }\n      });\n    }\n    function toggleOne(h3, answer) {\n      var open = h3.getAttribute('aria-expanded') === 'true';\n      if (open) {\n        answer.style.display = 'none';\n        h3.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');\n      } else {\n        answer.style.display = 'block';\n        h3.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');\n      }\n    }\n  });\n})();\n<\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TL;DR The authorization header is missing means Site Health sent its own test login in an Authorization header and PHP never received it, so the web server or the PHP handler dropped it. 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