# Flox CLI login requirement starts October 20

**URL:** <https://discourse.flox.dev/t/flox-cli-login-requirement-starts-october-20/1278>\
**Category:** Announcements\
**Created:** [October 13, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://discourse.flox.dev/t/flox-cli-login-requirement-starts-october-20/1278 "2026-10-13T18:47:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![djsauble](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.flox.dev/djsauble/32/839_2.png) [@djsauble](https://discourse.flox.dev/u/djsauble)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://discourse.flox.dev/t/flox-cli-login-requirement-starts-october-20/1278/1 "2026-10-13T18:47:48Z")

</div>

In August [we shared](https://discourse.flox.dev/t/upcoming-flox-authentication-changes-for-oct-2026/1270) that some Flox commands would soon need a free FloxHub account. Starting **Tuesday, October 20** , you’ll need to be logged in to install packages, upgrade them, or do anything else that resolves packages from the Flox Catalog.

Searching and inspecting packages stays public. So does activating an environment whose lockfile is up to date, including in CI.

As more developers, CI systems, and AI agents use Flox, this lets us protect the catalog from runaway automation and keep package resolution fast for everyone.

## What changes

**Commands that need a login:** `flox install`, `flox upgrade`, `flox run`, and any command that has to lock an environment because its lockfile is missing or its packages changed (for example `flox edit` or `flox activate`).

**Commands that stay public:** `flox search`, `flox show`, `flox pull` for public environments, and `flox activate` or `flox build` with a current lockfile.

## To get ready

- Run `flox auth login`. It takes about a minute. Accounts are free, and this isn’t a paywall: the free tier keeps everything it can do today.
- In CI, a pipeline that only activates an environment with a committed `manifest.lock` needs no changes. However, a CI pipeline that installs or upgrades packages needs a token: set `FLOX_FLOXHUB_TOKEN` to a [personal access token](https://flox.dev/docs/concepts/personal-access-tokens) or a [service account token](https://flox.dev/docs/concepts/service-accounts). On GitHub Actions, pass the token to `flox/install-flox-action` as `floxhub-token`.

Already logged in? Then there’s nothing to do.

## Older Flox versions

We timed the change to land with Flox 1.19.0, but the Flox Catalog enforces it, so it applies to every Flox version. Staying on an older release doesn’t postpone it.

| Flox version | What you need |
| --- | --- |
| 1.14.0 and newer | `flox auth login`, or a token in `FLOX_FLOXHUB_TOKEN` |
| 1.3.5 through 1.13 | `flox auth login`. Tokens need 1.14.0 |
| Before 1.3.5 | Upgrade first. These versions can’t log in to the catalog |

Details and FAQ: [Authentication - Flox](https://go.flox.dev/auth). Questions are welcome below.