Google Photos: mkdir fails with 'insufficient scopes' despite all correct configuration (custom Client ID)

Help and Support
1

What is the problem you are having with rclone?

  • My goal: To use rclone mkdir with a Google Photos remote.
  • The error: 403 PERMISSION_DENIED: couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes.
  • I am using my own Client ID, and I have confirmed the GCP project has the photoslibrary and photoslibrary.sharing scopes enabled on the consent screen, the app is in "Testing" mode, and I am a "Test User."
  • I have tried both rclone v1.69.3 and v1.66.0.
  • I even manually edited rclone.conf to include scope = photoslibrary photoslibrary.sharing and deleted the token, but the Google consent screen I am shown never asks for the album creation/sharing permission.

Run the command 'rclone version' and share the full output of the command.

PS C:\Users\Eric> rclone version
rclone v1.69.3

  • os/version: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 24H2 24H2 (64 bit)
  • os/kernel: 10.0.26100.4061 (x86_64)
  • os/type: windows
  • os/arch: amd64
  • go/version: go1.24.3
  • go/linking: static
  • go/tags: cmount

and I also attempted from a downgrade:

PS C:\Users\Eric> rclone version
rclone v1.66.0

  • os/version: Microsoft Windows 11 Pro 24H2 (64 bit)
  • os/kernel: 10.0.26100.4061 (x86_64)
  • os/type: windows
  • os/arch: amd64
  • go/version: go1.22.1
  • go/linking: static
  • go/tags: cmount

Which cloud storage system are you using? (eg Google Drive)

Google Photos (21)

The command you were trying to run (eg rclone copy /tmp remote:tmp)

rclone mkdir GPhotosNew:album/Holidays

Please run 'rclone config redacted' and share the full output. If you get command not found, please make sure to update rclone.

'''

[GPhotosNew]
type = google photos
client_id = XXX
client_secret = XXX
scope = photoslibrary photoslibrary.sharing
token = XXX

'''

A log from the command that you were trying to run with the -vv flag

'''
PS C:\Users\Eric> rclone mkdir GPhotosNew:album/Holidays -vv
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.66.0" starting with parameters ["C:\Users\Eric\AppData\bin\rclone.exe" "mkdir" "GPhotosNew:album/Holidays" "-vv"]
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "GPhotosNew:album/Holidays"
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Using config file from "C:\Users\Eric\AppData\Roaming\rclone\rclone.conf"
2025/06/05 22:17:42 NOTICE: Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Warning: running mkdir on a remote which can't have empty directories does nothing
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Making directory
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Mkdir: dir=""
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": >Mkdir: err=couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes. (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)
2025/06/05 22:17:42 ERROR : Attempt 1/3 failed with 1 errors and: couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes. (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Making directory
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Mkdir: dir=""
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": >Mkdir: err=couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes. (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)
2025/06/05 22:17:42 ERROR : Attempt 2/3 failed with 1 errors and: couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes. (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Making directory
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Mkdir: dir=""
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": >Mkdir: err=couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes. (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)
2025/06/05 22:17:42 ERROR : Attempt 3/3 failed with 1 errors and: couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes. (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)
2025/06/05 22:17:42 DEBUG : 6 go routines active
2025/06/05 22:17:42 INFO : Google Photos path "album/Holidays": Committing uploads - please wait...
2025/06/05 22:17:42 Failed to mkdir: couldn't list albums: Request had insufficient authentication scopes. (403 PERMISSION_DENIED)
PS C:\Users\Eric>
'''

2

I wonder if this is because Google Photos recently kneecapped their API: Updates to the Google Photos APIs  |  Google for Developers

They pretty much removed the ability for rlcone to do anything except uploading new photos. It sucks because I had just recently finished a nice, low-maintenance setup using rclone to back up my Google Photos. Back to the drawing board I guess.

3

Hi,

I have also lost access to Google photos. I had a working one and it stopped so I created a new one that worked for a while and now nothing works regardless of whether I leave the client ID blank or I fill it in with a valid ID and Secret and I have the Google photos apis linked and all of the Scopes are turned on and everything I do for Google Drive I do for Google photos only drive works and photos does not anymore for me.