browser-use/browser-use · error · CloudBrowserAuthError

Access forbidden. Please check your browser-use cloud subscr

Error message

Access forbidden. Please check your browser-use cloud subscription status.

What it means

Cloud browser creation returned HTTP 403: authentication succeeded but the account is not entitled to the requested operation — subscription inactive/lapsed, plan limits, or a feature (e.g. cloud profiles, specific proxy regions) not included in the plan. Distinct from 401 (bad credentials); this is an authorization/entitlement failure.

Source

Thrown at browser_use/browser/cloud/cloud.py:73

			)

		headers = {'X-Browser-Use-API-Key': api_token, 'Content-Type': 'application/json', **(extra_headers or {})}

		# Convert request to dictionary and exclude unset fields
		request_body = request.model_dump(exclude_unset=True)

		try:
			logger.info('🌤️ Creating cloud browser instance...')

			response = await self.client.post(url, headers=headers, json=request_body)

			if response.status_code == 401:
				raise CloudBrowserAuthError(
					'BROWSER_USE_API_KEY is invalid. Get a new key at:\n'
					'https://cloud.browser-use.com/new-api-key?utm_source=oss&utm_medium=use_cloud'
				)
			elif response.status_code == 403:
				raise CloudBrowserAuthError('Access forbidden. Please check your browser-use cloud subscription status.')
			elif not response.is_success:
				error_msg = f'Failed to create cloud browser: HTTP {response.status_code}'
				try:
					error_data = response.json()
					if 'detail' in error_data:
						error_msg += f' - {error_data["detail"]}'
				except Exception:
					pass
				raise CloudBrowserError(error_msg)

			browser_data = response.json()
			browser_response = CloudBrowserResponse(**browser_data)

			# Store session ID for cleanup
			self.current_session_id = browser_response.id

			logger.info(f'🌤️ Cloud browser created successfully: {browser_response.id}')
			logger.debug(f'🌤️ CDP URL: {browser_response.cdpUrl}')

View on GitHub (pinned to 6c73fced2f)

Solutions

Check subscription status in the browser-use cloud dashboard and reactivate/upgrade if lapsed.
Lower request scope to plan limits (e.g. `cloud_timeout=15` on free tier, standard proxy regions).
Confirm the key belongs to the account/workspace that owns the profile or feature being requested.

Example fix

# before
browser = Browser(use_cloud=True, cloud_timeout=60)  # free tier max is 15 -> 403

# after
browser = Browser(use_cloud=True, cloud_timeout=15)

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

# Stay within plan limits up front
cloud_timeout = 15  # free-tier max; raise only with a paid plan
browser = Browser(use_cloud=True, cloud_timeout=cloud_timeout)

Try / catch

from browser_use.browser.cloud.cloud import CloudBrowserAuthError
try:
    browser = Browser(use_cloud=True)
except CloudBrowserAuthError as e:
    if 'forbidden' in str(e).lower():
        logger.error('403: check subscription/entitlement in the cloud dashboard before retrying')
    raise

Prevention

Verify subscription status and feature entitlements in the dashboard before shipping cloud features.
Keep request parameters (timeout, proxy regions, profiles) within your plan's documented limits.
Distinguish 401 (fix the key) from 403 (fix the account) in your error handling.

When it happens

Trigger: `Browser(use_cloud=True)` or `cloud_profile_id=...` while the account has no active cloud subscription; requesting paid features (long `cloud_timeout`, premium proxy country) on a free plan; team key without permission for the target project/profile.

Common situations: Trial expired between runs; billing lapsed; using a colleague's key scoped to a different workspace; free-tier `cloud_timeout` above the 15-minute maximum.

Understand the failure class

Authentication and authorization failures — expired tokens, bad credentials, and missing scopes.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of browser-use/browser-use@6c73fced2f (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/59a3ac8b195e9731. Report an issue: GitHub.