How to fix 'Unable to Authenticate' error in Pokemon GO?

Being a live service game, it is understandable that Pokemon GO suffers from one or more bugs and glitches from time to time. Most recently, players will remember the issue with Zorua and its stats upon being caught, resulting in the surprise event being cut short. While these are rare, common issues like 'Unable to Authenticate' still plague the game's playerbase.

Despite having been on the market for over half a decade, the juggernaut AR title from Niantic does not look like it's losing steam anytime soon. Pokemon GO still commands a large playerbase, with the developers consistently pushing out new content and updates to enthrall them.

The 'Unable to Authenticate' error is sometimes a persistent issue that causes great annoyance. This article highlights a few ways that players can try to fix it.

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How can players address the 'Unable to Authenticate' issue in Pokemon GO?

As confirmed by Niantic's blog post, the 'Unable to Authenticate' issue usually stems from network or server issues, either on the side of the game or on the side of the player. Pokemon GO's servers can sometimes be affected by temporary issues, resulting in players being greeted with this message.

Players can check whether the game's servers are down by going over to the official Twitter handle of Niantic Support. A broad search on social media may also reveal if other players are suffering from the same problem, indicating a server issue on Niantic's end.

The same issue can also spring up if players have a poor network connection on their end for whatever reason. A relatively strong network connection is required to play the AR title, so players will struggle to log into the game otherwise.

If no apparent server issues are reported and the 'Unable to Authenticate' occurs due to poor internet connection, gamers need to check if they are playing the game in an area with low network reception. If that is not the case, players should try to close the application (Force Stop for Android users and swipe up after bringing up the recently used apps for iOS users) and then reopen it.

For Android users and Google accounts, Niantic's blog post suggests that players remove the email account associated with Pokemon GO from their device by going into Settings and then the Accounts option. Once done, they can then add the account again and try logging into the game.

Players also have the option to reboot their devices. If the problem still remains, the last option will be to uninstall Pokemon GO and again freshly reinstall the game. This should clear up any issues on the user's end. The 'Unable to Authenticate' issue is an annoying error to come across while trying to get into the game, and the aforementioned methods will hopefully help players tackle it.

The last few weeks have seen a lot of fun and frolic in Pokemon GO. The Greedy Gluttons and Team GO Rocket Takeover events are currently live in-game. The former marked the debut of Ultra Beast Guzzlord, and the latter saw the arrival of the new Shadow Pokemon and the return of Shadow Mewtwo. To learn more about this week in Pokemon GO, check here.