# Basic authentication with an email and password stops working on calls authenticated with an email and password

Calls to /api/v2/* on Zendesk API stopped working on January 12, 2026.

On January 12, 2026, basic authentication using an email and password stops working for /api/v2/* endpoints. This change affects calls authenticated with an email and password. Starting on that date, requests sent with email and password credentials fail.

## What to use instead

Authenticate with an OAuth access token instead. Moving to OAuth requires registering an OAuth client in the Zendesk account.

Moving to OAuth needs an OAuth client registered in the Zendesk account.

- API: Zendesk API (*.zendesk.com)
- Kind: Behaviour change
- Announced: July 1, 2024
- Takes effect: January 12, 2026
- Calls after that day: fail
- Calls it hits: `/api/v2/*`
- Who it affects: calls authenticated with an email and password
- Source: [Announcement](https://developer.zendesk.com/api-reference/changelog/changelog/)
- Verified: November 6, 2026, against Zendesk API's own pages
- Page: https://www.okapi.bot/providers/zendesk-api/breaking-changes/basic-authentication-with-an-email-and-password-stops-working-on-calls/

## Zendesk API's words

> Starting July 31, 2024, basic authentication using an email and password is deprecated for /api/v2/ endpoints for new accounts and for accounts that are not using this method. If you’re actively using this method today, you will be able to continue using it until January 12, 2026.

Okapi finds the calls this change hits in your repo and opens the pull request with the fix: https://github.com/apps/okapi-agent