What causes ODBC_DRIVER_AUTHENTICATION_FAILED?

The personal access token in the DSN or connection string has expired or been revoked. OAuth M2M authentication is misconfigured — missing client ID, secret, or token endpoint. The AuthMech value in the DSN is incorrect for the chosen authentication method. The ODBC driver version does not support the authentication method configured on the workspace

How do I fix ODBC_DRIVER_AUTHENTICATION_FAILED?

Step 1: Check the ODBC driver error message — it usually states whether the issue is an invalid token, an OAuth failure, or a configuration mismatch.. Step 2: Generate a fresh personal access token in the Databricks UI and update the DSN.. Step 3: Verify the DSN AuthMech setting: 3 = username/token, 11 = OAuth M2M.. Step 4: For OAuth M2M, confirm the service principal client ID and secret are current and the service principal has workspace access.. Step 5: Update the ODBC driver to the latest version from the Databricks downloads page to ensure OAuth compatibility.

High severityauthentication

Power BI Refresh Error:
ODBC_DRIVER_AUTHENTICATION_FAILED

What does this error mean?

The Databricks ODBC driver rejected the provided credentials, most commonly because a personal access token expired, an OAuth token was not obtained correctly, or the DSN configuration is incomplete.

Common causes

1The personal access token in the DSN or connection string has expired or been revoked
2OAuth M2M authentication is misconfigured — missing client ID, secret, or token endpoint
3The AuthMech value in the DSN is incorrect for the chosen authentication method
4The ODBC driver version does not support the authentication method configured on the workspace

How to fix it

1Step 1: Check the ODBC driver error message — it usually states whether the issue is an invalid token, an OAuth failure, or a configuration mismatch.
2Step 2: Generate a fresh personal access token in the Databricks UI and update the DSN.
3Step 3: Verify the DSN AuthMech setting: 3 = username/token, 11 = OAuth M2M.
4Step 4: For OAuth M2M, confirm the service principal client ID and secret are current and the service principal has workspace access.
5Step 5: Update the ODBC driver to the latest version from the Databricks downloads page to ensure OAuth compatibility.

Frequently asked questions

How long do Databricks personal access tokens last?

By default, Databricks PATs do not expire, but workspace admins can set a maximum token lifetime. Check your workspace admin settings if tokens expire unexpectedly.

Does the ODBC driver support Azure Active Directory authentication?

Yes — set AuthMech=11 and configure OAuth with your Azure Entra ID app registration for M2M or user-based authentication.