{"record":{"id":"e0d3422b2d0c0a2a","repo":"n8n-io/n8n","slug":"no-credentials-found-with-specified-filters","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"No credentials found with specified filters","messagePattern":"No credentials found with specified filters","errorType":"exception","errorClass":"UserError","httpStatus":null,"severity":"error","filePath":"packages/cli/src/commands/export/credentials.ts","lineNumber":136,"sourceCode":"\t\t}\n\n\t\tconst credentials: ICredentialsDb[] = await Container.get(CredentialsRepository).find({\n\t\t\twhere: this.getWhereFilter(flags),\n\t\t\trelations: ['shared.project'],\n\t\t});\n\n\t\tif (flags.decrypted) {\n\t\t\tfor (let i = 0; i < credentials.length; i++) {\n\t\t\t\tconst { name, type, data } = credentials[i];\n\t\t\t\tconst id = credentials[i].id;\n\t\t\t\tconst credential = new Credentials({ id, name }, type, data);\n\t\t\t\tconst plainData = await credential.getData();\n\t\t\t\t(credentials[i] as ICredentialsDecryptedDb).data = plainData;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t}\n\n\t\tif (credentials.length === 0) {\n\t\t\tthrow new UserError('No credentials found with specified filters');\n\t\t}\n\n\t\tif (flags.separate) {\n\t\t\tlet fileContents: string;\n\t\t\tlet i: number;\n\t\t\tfor (i = 0; i < credentials.length; i++) {\n\t\t\t\tfileContents = JSON.stringify(credentials[i], null, flags.pretty ? 2 : undefined);\n\t\t\t\tconst filename = `${\n\t\t\t\t\t(flags.output!.endsWith(path.sep) ? flags.output : flags.output + path.sep) +\n\t\t\t\t\tcredentials[i].id\n\t\t\t\t}.json`;\n\t\t\t\tfs.writeFileSync(filename, fileContents);\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\tthis.logger.info(`Successfully exported ${i} credentials.`);\n\t\t} else {\n\t\t\tconst fileContents = JSON.stringify(credentials, null, flags.pretty ? 2 : undefined);\n\t\t\tif (flags.output) {\n\t\t\t\tfs.writeFileSync(flags.output, fileContents);","sourceCodeStart":118,"sourceCodeEnd":154,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n/blob/5ac6606e81f67bb9534255570cd4e86fd8101eee/packages/cli/src/commands/export/credentials.ts#L118-L154","documentation":"The `n8n export:credentials` command throws UserError('No credentials found with specified filters') when the query (with all --all/--only-id/--type filters applied) returns zero credentials. Prevents writing an empty export file silently.","triggerScenarios":"Running `n8n export:credentials` with filters that match nothing: a --type that has no instances, or no credentials exist at all in the DB.","commonSituations":"Fresh instance with no credentials; --type filter typo; credentials owned by a different user not visible to the querying context; DB pointing at the wrong n8n instance.","solutions":["Drop or correct the filters (e.g. remove --type) and re-run to confirm credentials exist.","Verify you are querying the correct n8n database (N8N_DEFAULT_BINARY_DATA_MODE / DB env vars).","List credentials first: `n8n list:credential` to confirm IDs/types before exporting."],"exampleFix":"# before\nn8n export:credentials --type=nonExistentType --output=./out.json\n\n# after\nn8n list:credential   # confirm available types/ids\nn8n export:credentials --all --output=./out.json","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"// Before exporting, confirm credentials exist\nconst list = await credentialRepository.find(); // with same filters\nif (list.length === 0) { /* surface 'no credentials' without invoking export */ }","typeGuard":"function isNoCredentialsError(error: unknown): boolean {\n  return error instanceof Error && error.message === 'No credentials found with specified filters';\n}","tryCatchPattern":"try {\n  await ExportCredentials.run(argv);\n} catch (e) {\n  if (isNoCredentialsError(e)) { /* list credentials, adjust filters, retry */ }\n  else throw e;\n}","preventionTips":["Run `n8n list:credential` first to confirm what exists.","Remove narrow filters if you expect a broad export.","Verify the target DB/instance before exporting."],"tags":["cli","export","credentials","user-error"],"backgroundTag":null,"analyzedSha":"5ac6606e81f67bb9534255570cd4e86fd8101eee","analyzedAt":"2026-08-12T05:26:35.080Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-08-13T04:17:16.726Z"}