Auth error: 503 AuthRetryableFetchError

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This is a copy of a troubleshooting article on Supabase's docs site. It may be missing some details from the original. View the original article.

A 503 status code accompanied by an AuthRetryableFetchError typically indicates that the Auth (GoTrue) service is failing to initialize because it cannot load its configuration.

Why Does This Happen?
This issue is most commonly caused by an invalid duration string in the GOTRUE_SESSIONS_TIMEBOX setting. This occurs if the configured value:

• Exceeds the maximum supported duration (approximately hundreds of years).
• Uses an incorrect or unsupported time unit format.

When the service encounters an invalid configuration value during startup, it fails to initialize, resulting in fetch errors for all authentication requests.

How to Resolve:

1. Navigate to the Sessions settings in the dashboard.
2. Locate the Timebox duration field within the User Sessions section.
3. Replace the current value with a smaller, valid duration or fallback to the default value (4320 hours).
4. Save your changes.

Updating this field triggers a configuration reload, which allows the Auth service to restart and resume normal operation.