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Bitbucket with API tokens! (yet again)

Alastair Murray

I have spent hours on this since trying to setup several laptops back in November after API passwords were deprecated.

After a long remote session with Atlassian I am able to clone a remote repo. I had to enter the API token 5 times in to the popup. Now when I commit I have to enter it once more.

Can someone give me correct, accurate instructions for an install of SourceTree on W11 to link to Bitbucket using API tokens - all the online documentation is slightly wrong out-of-date or doesn't work for me. This is getting ridiculous. I'm happy to reduce 'security' to just make it work smoothly.

this is what I've got so far:

I have a working API token, valid for a year with ALL scopes

uninstall SourceTree

Windows credential manager (what needs deleting? everything to mentioning BitBucket, SourcTree or both?)

Install SourceTree

initial popup - what should I enter for user and password? user name or email? password or API token?

CredentialHelperSelector popup 'no helper', 'wincred', 'wincred', 'manager' - what do I select? why are there two 'wincred'? why does this even popup - should be transparent to the user?

Tools\Options\Authentication - What should have appeared here with a correct install? Accounts / Rest Saved Passwords / Hg Saved Passwords - what entry does what? what should they say?

SourceTree is supposed to hide all the complexity , it used to just install and work. Why is the experience so bad now?

Don't point me to existing documents - they don't work!

Please just post a step by step guide with screenshots.

This is so basic - there must be an easy fix or is the combination of latest W11 Pro and latest SourceTree not compatible.

Accepted answers

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Tomislav Tobijas

Hey @Alastair Murray,

Related to Windows Credential Manager, I'd say you will need to remove everything related to sourcetree-rest.

I mean, I just tried that, and it removed my existing credentials/logins as expected.

Now, as for authentication - official docs are definitely 'not ideal' 🫤

I wrote instructions/relatively step-by-step for this here: [Reply] Unsure how to use the API password with sourcetree
*I'm on Win 11 Business

Also, I'm using Sourcetree v3.4.29 (latest) 👀

Cheers,
Tobi

Alastair Murray

Hi Tobi, thanks for your quick reply!

I tried deleting everything in Windows Credential Manager

my account on the 'remote repo' screen was broken (red glyph) until I reauthorised with user name and API token (I also tried email but that didn't work)

Screenshot 2026-02-23 151749.png

as before I get this popup 5 times as I clone from remote (It does eventually clone)

Screenshot 2026-02-23 152031.png

and then once more as I commit.

Any ideas? - I'm about to give up and migrate to a different solution.

If anyone from SourceTree dev team is here PLEASE reply or DM me to get this sorted.

Atlassian were able to remote in and tried everything they could but then gave up and said I needed help from SourceTree support. But that only comes through the forum - really? I have a monthly subscription to Atlassian - SourceTree is your product too

Alastair Murray

I eventually got something to try from Atlassian support which worked for me!!

Try opening terminal from SourceTree (Action\Open in Terminal)
execute the following commands:

git config --global credential.helper core

git config --system credential.helper core

Tomislav Tobijas

Interesting @Alastair Murray 👀

Glad you've managed to resolve this! Thanks for sharing the (re)solution 🙌

Alastair Murray

Over the last week my computer has lost authorisation and not able to push changes and I'm also unable to setup a new computer.

Is anyone else having trouble?

Tomislav Tobijas

Over the last week my computer has lost authorisation and not able to push changes and I'm also unable to setup a new computer.

Is anyone else having trouble?

The workaround you mentioned here doesn't work anymore?

I've got only a couple of credentials on the whole system, so it didn't cause many issues for me. At least not yet 😅

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