Files
supabase/apps/docs/content/guides/database
4f10a55983 docs: add troubleshooting guide for password auth failures after rotation (#50122)
## I have read the
[CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/supabase/supabase/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md)
file.

YES

## What kind of change does this PR introduce?

Docs update (new troubleshooting entry + cross-links).

## What is the current behavior?

There's no public troubleshooting entry for a transient `password
authentication failed` (`28P01`) error through the Shared Pooler
(Supavisor) right after a database password rotation. The closest
existing entry only covers the IP-lockout circuit-breaker case (`FATAL:
Circuit breaker open`), and the generic FAQ answer for "FATAL: Password
authentication failed" in `connecting-to-postgres.mdx` reads as "your
credentials are simply wrong," with no mention that this is expected
right after a legitimate rotation.

## What is the new behavior?

- New entry:
`supavisor-error-password-authentication-failed-after-password-rotation.mdx`
— explains this is expected, by-design pooler-cache behavior (not a
bug), scopes it to SCRAM/password auth (not JIT), and walks through
confirming the new password via a direct connection before contacting
support.
- Cross-links added from the existing circuit-breaker entry, the "How do
I reset my Supabase database password?" entry, and the FAQ in
`connecting-to-postgres.mdx`.

## Additional context

Prettier check passes on all 4 touched files. `lint:mdx`
(`supa-mdx-lint`) could not be run locally due to a pre-existing,
unrelated native-module issue (`node-pty` missing its compiled binary
for this platform) — expected to run in CI.

<!-- This is an auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai
-->
## Summary by CodeRabbit

## Documentation

* Added troubleshooting guidance for `28P01` password authentication
failures after database password rotation.
* Clarified Shared Pooler credential-refresh behavior, affected
connection patterns, the built-in `postgres` role, and unaffected JIT
access-token connections.
* Added steps to verify credentials, retry connections, handle rate
limits, and avoid repeated rotations.
* Added guidance for updating credentials across live application
instances and cross-references between related troubleshooting guides.
<!-- end of auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai -->

## Changed docs
* the new guide:
[docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supab/…/supavisor-error-password-authentication-failed-after-password-rotation](https://docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supabase.vercel.app/docs/guides/troubleshooting/supavisor-error-password-authentication-failed-after-password-rotation)
* mention the new guide + info on auth_error Circuit Breaker
[docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supabase.vercel.app/docs/…/fatal-password-authentication-failed](https://docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supabase.vercel.app/docs/guides/troubleshooting/fatal-password-authentication-failed)
* mention the new guide:
[docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supabase.vercel.app/docs/…/how-do-i-reset-my-supabase-database-password…](https://docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supabase.vercel.app/docs/guides/troubleshooting/how-do-i-reset-my-supabase-database-password-oTs5sB)
* mention of the new guide:
[docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supabase.ver/…/supavisor-error-circuit-breaker-open-after-password-rotation…](https://docs-git-docs-supavisor-password-rotation-troub-026280-supabase.vercel.app/docs/guides/troubleshooting/supavisor-error-circuit-breaker-open-after-password-rotation-0fdb72)

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: coderabbitai[bot] <136622811+coderabbitai[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Nik Richers <nrichers@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: felipe stival <14948182+v0idpwn@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Codesmith <codesmith-bot@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-09-11 10:03:14 +02:00
..