> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.defguard.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.defguard.net/2.1/support-1/troubleshooting-guides/core/unable-to-sign-in-with-correct-credentials.md).

# Unable to sign in with correct credentials

This error appears when the browser's session cookie cannot be set. The most common cause is a misconfigured `DEFGUARD_URL`.

### In version 2.0

`DEFGUARD_URL` is deprecated. The instance URL is now configured through the web UI. Go to **Settings** in the Defguard interface and verify the **Instance URL** field. It must match the URL you are accessing Defguard from, including the correct scheme (`https://` vs `http://`).

If the value is wrong, the server will set the session cookie with an incorrect domain or path, causing the browser to reject or discard it.

### HTTP (non-TLS) deployments

If you are accessing Defguard over plain `http://` (for example, in a local or development environment), you need to configure auth cookie settings to allow non-secure cookies. See the [Auth cookies configuration](https://docs.defguard.net/2.0/deployment-strategies/configuration#auth-cookies-configuration) documentation for the required settings.