---
title: Why does the Pull Requests tab show a GitHub error?
question: github error on prs or actions tab
area: troubleshooting
surface: desktop
audience: beginner
keywords: [GitHub token rejected, 401, GitHub token rejected 401 try Disconnect and Connect again, No GitHub origin remote on this repo, You don't have push access to this repo, GitHub returned 403, workflow scope, repo scope, Reconnect to enable Actions, Not connected to GitHub, PRs won't load, cannot create pull request, disconnect reconnect github]
related: [how-do-i-browse-files-history-and-pull-requests, how-do-i-review-and-commit-my-changes]
updated: 2026-07-21
---

# Why does the Pull Requests tab show a GitHub error?

Almost always one of three things: your saved GitHub sign-in has gone stale, the folder is not a GitHub project, or you do not have permission to push to it. The **PRs** and **Actions** tabs live in DevTools, opened with the **</>** button on the preview toolbar. Read the exact red line the tab shows and match it to the fix below. The most common one, **GitHub token rejected (401)**, is fixed by disconnecting GitHub in the panel and connecting again.

Your first connection is covered separately in [How do I browse files, history, and pull requests?](../browser/how-do-i-browse-files-history-and-pull-requests.md). This page is for when you were connected and something now errors.

## "GitHub token rejected (401)"

The full line reads **GitHub token rejected (401) — try Disconnect + Connect again**. Your saved GitHub access has expired or been revoked, even though the panel may still show you as connected with your **@username**. Reconnecting on its own does not help, because the stale sign-in is still stored. You have to remove it first.

1. Open DevTools with the **</>** button on the preview toolbar and click the **PRs** tab.
2. In the panel header, click the small **×** button (its tooltip reads **Disconnect GitHub**).
3. Click **Connect GitHub**.
4. codus opens GitHub in your browser with a short code. Type the code, approve codus, and come back.

If you revoked codus in your GitHub settings, this is expected, and reconnecting is the whole fix.

## "No GitHub origin remote on this repo"

The line reads **No GitHub origin remote on this repo** (sometimes with "or origin points at a non-GitHub host"). The **PRs** and **Actions** tabs only work when the folder is a project hosted on GitHub. You see this when the folder is not a Git project, is a brand-new one you have not pushed anywhere yet, or is hosted somewhere other than GitHub.

- If the project should be on GitHub, push it there first and set GitHub as its **origin**. Ask your agent to do this if you are not sure how.
- If the project is not on GitHub, that is fine. These two tabs do not apply to it. **Explorer** and **History** still work on any Git project.

## "You don't have push access to this repo"

You can view the repository but not write to it, so the **+ New** button for a pull request stays greyed out with this tooltip. This is normal for someone else's repository, or a fork you only have read access to. To open a pull request you need push access, which the repository's owner grants on GitHub. You can still read the existing pull requests, and use **Open** and **Checkout** on them.

## "GitHub returned 403 ..."

Two versions, both fixed by reconnecting to grant an extra permission:

- **... your token may be missing the `workflow` scope. Reconnect to grant it.** This is the **Actions** tab. Click **Reconnect to enable Actions**; it keeps your existing access and adds the missing permission.
- **... check your token has `repo` scope.** Disconnect and connect again, approving codus for your repositories when GitHub asks.

## How do I know it worked?

The red error line is gone. The **PRs** tab lists your open pull requests (or reads "No open pull requests" if there are none), and the header shows your **@username** as connected. The **Actions** tab lists your workflows.

## Still stuck

If you have disconnected and reconnected, approved codus for the right account and repositories, and the tab still errors, tell us the exact red line it shows and whether the folder is a repository hosted on GitHub.