How to Fix Password Authentication Failed for User in PostgreSQL

What Does This Error Mean?

This error occurs when PostgreSQL rejects a login attempt due to incorrect credentials or authentication configuration issues.

Common Causes

• Wrong username or password
• Incorrect host or port
• pg_hba.conf misconfiguration
• Password changed but client not updated

Verify Credentials

psql -U username -h localhost -d database_name

Check pg_hba.conf

Ensure the authentication method (md5 or scram-sha-256) matches your setup.

Reset Password

ALTER USER username WITH PASSWORD 'new_password';