UpdraftPlus and Google Drive: 401 deleted_client?

UpdraftPlus can no longer connect to Google Drive. Authorisation ends with error 401 and deleted_client, potentially preventing new backups from reaching their destination while older files remain available. The reviewed report establishes the symptom, but not who owns the affected client or why it was deleted. Q1

Separate existing backups from connection state

Record the last demonstrably completed backup and check whether its files exist in the intended location. A failed login does not prove that those files have disappeared. Equally, an old backup entry does not establish that the website’s current data is protected.

Preserve local backups and existing Drive files. Do not delete the backup folder or the entire Google project in an attempt to start with a clean connection. Establish the recovery position before changing the integration.

Identify who controls the client

Google uses this error for a deleted OAuth client. The useful identifier is the client ID in the actual failed request. UpdraftPlus provides a supported connection route through its application, which needs to be distinguished from a personally managed Google configuration. Q2 Q4

1. Record the setup route: Note the plugin version, selected destination and any custom OAuth settings. Use only the details needed for comparison, not tokens.
2. Match the client ID: For a client you manage, the authorised project owner needs to check deletion and available supported recovery or replacement options. For a vendor application, investigate with the vendor; creating an unrelated Google project will not repair its client.
3. Exclude an obsolete setup route: Evaluate a suitable supported plugin version in a backed-up environment and restart the documented authorisation process. Avoid bookmarks or links left over from old setup sessions.
4. Reconnect with a defined scope: If reconnection is required, first record the destination folder and settings. Removing an application grant from the Google account can affect more than resetting one website’s connection. Q3

Verify the backup, not just the login

After successful authorisation, perform an appropriate controlled backup. Inspect the completion log, newly created files and destination mapping. Successful login alone does not establish a complete or restorable backup. Also arrange a restoration check in a separate environment.

Keep the incident record clear about which files predate the outage and which were created after recovery. This prevents a familiar old archive from being mistaken for proof of a new successful transfer.

Frequently asked questions

Have my existing backups been deleted?

The OAuth message does not establish that. Inspect existing files directly through an authorised storage account.

Should I revoke every UpdraftPlus Google permission?

Not indiscriminately. Other websites may use the same grant. Establish the scope and affected connection first.

Will a new Google password help?

It does not replace a deleted OAuth client. The message points first to application configuration.

Information for assistance

Provide versions, setup route, a shortened client ID and the last successful backup time. Do not send backup archives or access secrets without an agreed need and transfer method.

KAN KAI WORKS can investigate the backup connection and the OAuth client actually being used. Get help with this case.