Spotify authentication failing with 'code must be supplied' error in Python implementation

Other Questions Spotify
1

I’m having trouble with Spotify Web API authentication in my Python project. When I try to authenticate using the SpotifyOAuth flow, I keep getting an error saying ‘code must be supplied’ and it’s not creating the token cache file.

Here’s my authentication setup:

auth_handler = SpotifyOAuth(
    redirect_uri=CALLBACK_URL,
    client_id=SPOTIFY_APP_ID,
    client_secret=SPOTIFY_APP_SECRET,
    state=AUTH_STATE,
    scope=PERMISSIONS,
    show_dialog=True,
    cache_path="access_token.txt",
    username=USER_NAME
)
client = spotipy.Spotify(auth_manager=auth_handler)
cached_token = auth_handler.get_cached_token()
try:
    current_user_id = client.current_user()["id"]
    print(f"Successfully authenticated user: {current_user_id}")
except spotipy.SpotifyException as error:
    print(f"Authentication error: {error}")
except Exception as error:
    print(f"General error occurred: {error}")

The program runs without crashing because of my exception handling, but it’s not working properly. No token file gets created and I can’t access user data. What could be causing this authorization issue?

2

check if ur running this on a server or somewhere without a browser. you’ll have to handle the auth url manually. print auth_handler.get_authorize_url(), go to that link, and then copy the callback url back into your app.

3

Had this same problem when I first set up Spotify auth. Usually it’s because your redirect URI doesn’t match between your code and what’s in your Spotify dashboard. Double-check that your CALLBACK_URL variable exactly matches what you registered - port numbers and trailing slashes matter. Make sure your Spotify app’s in development mode for local testing. Also verify your client credentials are right and the app hasn’t been suspended. When everything’s working, a browser window should pop up automatically for auth.

4

Had this exact problem last month. Your SpotifyOAuth setup looks fine, but you’re missing the initial auth flow. Add auth_url = auth_handler.get_authorize_url() and navigate to that URL in your browser. After authorizing, you’ll get redirected with the auth code. The library should auto-exchange that code for tokens, but if it doesn’t work smoothly, grab the code from the callback URL and pass it to get_access_token(code). Once you complete this initial flow, it’ll create the cache file and everything should work automatically from then on.

5

Been there with Spotify integration - the OAuth dance is a nightmare, especially with token refreshes and error handling.

Skip the manual auth code entirely. Automate the whole Spotify workflow instead. Set up flows that handle OAuth, token management, and API calls without touching Python authentication logic.

I’ve built several music apps pulling playlist data, user info, and listening history. Instead of debugging SpotifyOAuth, I use automated workflows that manage everything - initial auth, secure token storage, refreshes, and reliable API calls.

No more ‘code must be supplied’ errors or cache file issues. You get solid error handling and retry logic that beats manual exception handling.

The automation covers browser redirects to token storage, so you can focus on using Spotify data instead of fighting auth flows.

Check out Latenode for this: https://latenode.com

6

sounds like ur missing a step in the oauth flow. when you run this, spotify should pop up in your browser for permission. did u authorize it? after that, it redirects back with the code for tokens. if you skipped it, that’s why no cache file is created.

7

You’re jumping straight to client.current_user() without making sure the user authorized your app first. Had this same problem when I built a playlist analyzer tool. Check if cached_token is None - if it is, trigger the auth process. Add something like if not cached_token: webbrowser.open(auth_handler.get_authorize_url()) before making any API calls. SpotifyOAuth won’t open the browser automatically - you’ve got to tell it to. After you do the initial auth and get that cache file created, everything runs fine.