Can I use OAuth2 APIs with n8n?

n8ndev

Yes, n8n has excellent support for OAuth2 APIs! You can use OAuth2 in multiple ways depending on your needs and the specific service you're integrating with.

Built-in OAuth2 Support

Pre-built OAuth2 Integrations

n8n includes pre-configured OAuth2 support for many popular services:

Google (Gmail, Sheets, Drive, Calendar, etc.)
Microsoft (Office 365, Outlook, Teams, etc.)
Slack, Discord, Twitter
GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive
Shopify, WooCommerce
Dropbox, Box, OneDrive

These handle the entire OAuth2 flow automatically - you just need to provide client credentials.

Generic OAuth2 Support

For APIs not covered by pre-built nodes, use the HTTP Request node with OAuth2:

Configuration Steps:

Select "OAuth2 API" in authentication
Set Authorization URL (where users authenticate)
Set Access Token URL (where you exchange code for token)
Enter Client ID and Client Secret
Configure Scopes (permissions requested)
Set Authentication method (Body/Header)

OAuth2 Flow Types Supported

Authorization Code Flow (Most Common)

User redirects to authorization server
User grants permission
Authorization code exchanged for access token
n8n handles token storage and refresh

Client Credentials Flow

For server-to-server authentication
No user interaction required
Direct token exchange using client credentials

Refresh Token Handling

n8n automatically:

Stores refresh tokens securely
Refreshes access tokens when they expire
Retries failed requests after token refresh
Handles token refresh failures gracefully

Setting Up Custom OAuth2

1. Register Your Application

First, register your n8n instance with the OAuth2 provider:

Redirect URI: https://your-n8n-instance.com/rest/oauth2-credential/callback
Scopes: Define required permissions
Get Client ID and Client Secret

2. Configure in n8n

Create new OAuth2 credential
Enter client details and endpoints
Test the connection
Use in HTTP Request or webhook nodes

3. Handle the Authorization

n8n provides authorization URLs
Users click to grant permissions
Tokens are stored automatically
Ready to use in workflows

Advanced OAuth2 Features

Multiple Accounts

Store credentials for different user accounts
Switch between accounts in workflows
Useful for multi-tenant applications

Scope Management

Request minimal required scopes
Handle scope changes gracefully
Re-authorize when new permissions needed

Error Handling

Handle token expiration
Manage authorization failures
Implement fallback authentication methods

Security Considerations

Best Practices:

Store client secrets in n8n's encrypted credential store
Use HTTPS for all OAuth2 flows
Regularly review and rotate credentials
Monitor for unauthorized access attempts
Implement proper scope limitations

Token Security:

Tokens are encrypted at rest
Automatic secure token refresh
No tokens exposed in workflow logs
Secure credential sharing between workflows

Common Use Cases

Data Synchronization:

Sync data between Google Sheets and your database
Pull social media analytics from Twitter/Facebook
Backup files from cloud storage services

Automation Triggers:

Trigger workflows from Slack messages
Respond to GitHub webhook events
Process new emails from Gmail/Outlook

Multi-service Workflows:

Create tasks in project management tools
Send notifications across multiple platforms
Aggregate data from various OAuth2 APIs

OAuth2 in n8n is production-ready and handles the complexity of modern API authentication while keeping your credentials secure and workflows reliable.

n8ndev

Yes, n8n fully supports OAuth2 APIs! 🎉 You can connect to any service that uses OAuth2 authentication—whether it's Google, GitHub, Microsoft, or even custom APIs.

✅ How to Use OAuth2 APIs in n8n

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

🔧 1. Create an OAuth2 Credential in n8n

a. Go to:

n8n Dashboard > Credentials > New Credential

b. Choose:

“OAuth2 API” (or the specific integration if available, e.g., “Google OAuth2”)

c. Fill in required fields:

Client ID
Client Secret
Auth URI (e.g., https://example.com/oauth/authorize)
Access Token URI (e.g., https://example.com/oauth/token)
Scopes (if required)
Redirect URI (use the one generated by n8n)

🌐 2. Configure OAuth on the API Provider Side

Provide:

Redirect URI (e.g., https://your-n8n.com/rest/oauth2-credential/callback)
Allowed scopes (e.g., email, profile, etc.)

🔄 3. Authorize the Credential

After saving, click "Connect" on the credential in n8n.
It will open the OAuth login/consent screen.
Upon success, n8n stores the access token securely.

📡 4. Use OAuth2 in an HTTP Request

Add an HTTP Request node.
Under Authentication, choose:
- OAuth2
- Select the credential you created.

n8n will:

Automatically attach the token to your request.
Refresh it when needed (if supported by the API).

🔁 Token Auto-Refresh

If the API supports it, n8n can handle token expiration and refresh automatically via the refresh_token.

✅ Example: Google API

Auth URL: https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/auth
Token URL: https://oauth2.googleapis.com/token
Scopes: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.email
Register your app in Google Developer Console

Let me know which OAuth2 API you want to use, and I can give you a full working example!