Q: What does “Could not download page (401)” mean? A: A 401 means the server does not accept who you are and is asking you to sign in or prove you have rights. To fix 401 download error, confirm your login, clear cached auth data, and resend valid tokens or headers. Q: How is a 401 error different from a 403 error? A: A 401 is “Unauthorized” and indicates the server wants you to sign in or re-authenticate. A 403 is “Forbidden” and means you are signed in but do not have permission to access the resource. Q: What are the five steps to fix a 401 download error? A: Re‑authenticate your account, check the link and your access, clear cached auth data, test your network or VPN and system time, and send the right auth with your request. These steps target common causes such as timeouts, password changes, bad tokens, or VPN/proxy issues. Q: How should I re‑authenticate to resolve a 401 in a browser or app? A: Log out of the site or app, close the tab or the app, then sign back in and complete any single sign-on flow if used. On mobile, try switching between Wi‑Fi and mobile data and retry after signing in. Q: What should I check about the download link and my account access? A: Make sure the URL is correct and that you are signed into the right account (work vs personal), region, or team. If the file is shared, ask the owner to grant view or download access and update saved logins if your password changed. Q: How do I clear cached authentication data to stop a 401? A: Clear cookies and site data for the problem site, disable extensions that change headers or block cookies, then retry the download. In apps, log out, clear the app cache and sign in again, and in download tools remove saved credentials and re-enter them. Q: Can my VPN, proxy, or device time cause a 401 and how can I test that? A: Yes, some servers refuse requests from unknown networks or when system time is incorrect, so turn off VPN/proxy, try a different VPN region, and enable automatic date and time. Also try another network (hotspot vs office Wi‑Fi) to rule out firewalls and allow the site’s domain if needed. Q: What auth details do APIs, CLIs, or download managers need to avoid a 401? A: Update expired API keys or session tokens, include the Authorization header exactly as required, ensure token scope includes read/download, and sync clocks to avoid clock skew. For download managers, use the post-login URL, import or enable browser cookies, set the correct User-Agent and Referer, and create an app password if two‑factor auth requires it.