Browser authentication needed for every gemini start?

[twardoch]

Whenever I start gemini CLI without an API key, the app opens the default browser, asking me to log in with the Google account that’s eligible for the "free tier" usage. How can I skip this browser authentication happening every single time I start gemini CLI?

[fhinkel]

I only have to log in once. Can you make sure you're using the newest version? (0.1.6). Also, it should be writing auth preferences in ~/.gemini/settings.json, is that folder writable for you?

[twardoch]

Something is wrong then on my macOS 15.5 (24F74) on a MacBook Pro Intel. I’ve just removed ~/.gemini and installed npm i -g @google/gemini-cli again. And it’s the same: whenever I run gemini, the browser opens and I have to authenticate. I’m including redacted files below.

cat ~/.gemini/settings.json

{
  "selectedAuthType": "oauth-personal",
  "theme": "Atom One",
  "preferredEditor": "cursor"
}

cat

{
  "access_token": "ya29.a...",
  "refresh_token": "1//09vx...",
  "scope": "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.email https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.profile https://www.googleapis.com/auth/cloud-platform openid",
  "token_type": "Bearer",
  "id_token": "eyJhbGci...",
  "expiry_date": 1751158204532
}

cat ~/.gemini/user_id
8cf1ca...

gemini --version
0.1.7

[twardoch]

#2563

[agmontpetit]

I fixed the same issue by removing the file and running gemini again.

This is my file now in case it helps:

{
  "selectedAuthType": "gemini-api-key",
  "theme": "Default"
}