# GitHub plugin does not accept personal access token

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/github-plugin-does-not-accept-personal-access-token/349697
**Category:** Support
**Tags:** github
**Created:** [January 30, 2025, 9:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/github-plugin-does-not-accept-personal-access-token/349697 "2025-01-30T09:22:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![mstimberg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/mstimberg/32/289677_2.png) [@mstimberg](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mstimberg)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 9:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/github-plugin-does-not-accept-personal-access-token/349697/1 "2025-01-30T09:22:10Z")

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I am trying to configure the GitHub plugin for our discourse-hosted FOSS project site, but the “GitHub client secret” setting rejects the token: ` github_client_secret: Value doesn't match the required format.` My token is in the (not that) new format that starts with `ghp_` (see [Authentication token format updates are generally available - GitHub Changelog](https://github.blog/changelog/2021-03-31-authentication-token-format-updates-are-generally-available/)) – could it be that the plugin hasn’t been updated to accept that format 🤔 ?

Thanks!

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### Author: ![Arkshine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/arkshine/32/298682_2.png) [@Arkshine](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Arkshine)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/github-plugin-does-not-accept-personal-access-token/349697/2 "2025-01-30T14:16:40Z")

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Hey Marcel, welcome back!

I think you are not using the correct setting.  
`GitHub client secret` is a core setting to configure GitHub login (to sign in to Discourse with your Github account); see [Configure GitHub login for Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/t/configure-github-login-for-discourse/13745). It requires the creation of an OAuth App.

What you’re looking for to configure the GitHub plugin is here (type `plugin:discourse-github`)

 ![The image displays the "Site settings" for a Discourse Github plugin, where users are prompted to enable the Discourse Github plugin and configure options such as GitHub linkback projects, maximum links per post, and enable GitHub badges for contributions. (Captioned by AI)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/d/c/b/dcba2730e1ea5a6697e0f986eafaa9573ecb9d5b.png)

Or click on Settings:

 ![The image is a screenshot of a GitHub settings page displaying an app called "GitHub" by Discourse that allows staff to assign badges to users based on contributions, and also allows users to create GitHub links and permaids. (Captioned by AI)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/b/9/3/b931620ad7e0ed4610af157be961aff836f0a132.png)

Then, you can use your personal token with `GitHub linkback access token` setting.

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### Author: ![mstimberg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/mstimberg/32/289677_2.png) [@mstimberg](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mstimberg)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/github-plugin-does-not-accept-personal-access-token/349697/3 "2025-01-30T14:21:58Z")

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Oh, 🤦‍♂️ – you are absolutely right… Thanks for your help!

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### Author: ![tobiaseigen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/tobiaseigen/32/539204_2.png) [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/github-plugin-does-not-accept-personal-access-token/349697/4 "2025-09-17T23:45:53Z")

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