SQLSTATE[HY000] [1045] Access denied for user Laravel Origin: Application & API OSI layer 7 · Application Last updated 4 Nov 2026

Laravel: SQLSTATE[HY000] [1045] Access denied for user 'forge'@'localhost' (using password: YES)

MySQL rejected the username/password configured in Laravel's .env.

Exact message you may see SQLSTATE[HY000] [1045] Access denied for user 'forge'@'localhost' (using password: YES)SQLSTATE[HY000] [1045] Access denied for userAccess denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: NO) LaravelIlluminate\Database\QueryException SQLSTATE[HY000] [1045]
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Seen on: Laravel PHP MySQL

Meaning

Check DB_USERNAME, DB_PASSWORD, DB_HOST and DB_DATABASE. Special characters in passwords need quotes in .env. After changing .env, clear cached config (php artisan config:clear), otherwise Laravel keeps using old values. Also verify the MySQL user can connect from that host.

Common causes

  • Wrong credentials in .env
  • Config cached with old values
  • Password with # or spaces not quoted
  • User lacks privileges for the host ('user'@'localhost' vs %)
  • Using root with auth_socket plugin

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Test with mysql -u USER -p -h HOST DB
  2. php artisan config:clear
  3. Quote the password in .env: DB_PASSWORD="p#ss word"

Detailed fix by platform

Laravel

  1. php artisan config:clear && php artisan tinker --execute="DB::connection()->getPdo();"

How to diagnose

  1. Credentials — Work in mysql client?
  2. Cache — config cleared?
  3. Host — Grants for that host?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Application & API. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

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