GitHub Desktop authorization does not work in Ubuntu 20.04

[kpurens]

It opens the default browser (mine is Firefox version 94.0)

The browser says to wait while redirecting.

But the redirect never happens.

Browser console logs show some strange error "x-github-desktop-dev-auth unknown protocol"

Trying to authorize again shows a completely different error in browser: "The address wasn’t understood"

Seems completely broken.

[BaconCatBug]

I am having the same issue.

[tjbarber]

I am also having this issue.

[Xeddius]

Doesn't work in latest version of Manjaro either. Appimage issues perhaps?

[BaconCatBug]

Version 2.6.3 works. If you can find the old version, install that.

[shiftkey]

A few questions to help guide the investigation:

• what version of the package are you using?
• which installer did you use?
• any interesting log files you can share? ~/.config/GitHub Desktop/logs/ is where there are stored, organized by date

[BaconCatBug]

2.9.6 .deb installer, Cinnamon desktop environment. No logs as I got the 2.6.3 deb and installed that instead.

[shiftkey]

No logs as I got the 2.6.3 deb and installed that instead.

It'd be great to see the underlying error(s) in the log with a more recent version as there's some details about how the app is launched that might be helpful here...

[pvojnisek]

Using pop!_os 21.10
Trying to log in using brave (and firefox) unsuccessfully. The url: x-github-desktop-dev-auth://oauth?code=xxx&state=xxx cannot be handed to the appimage.
The version installed from apt repository works flawlessly.

$sudo apt list github-desktop 
Listing... Done
github-desktop/impish,now 2.8.1-linux1 amd64 [installed]

Appimage version: GitHubDesktop-linux-2.9.6-linux1.AppImage

[AZHELLRGX]

Use deb format, don't use AppImage

[pavelhoral]

Redirect URL from GitHub's OAuth does not work for me and seems like this issue.

Logs:

2022-02-23T11:40:07.165Z - info: [main] Received possible protocol arguments: 4
2022-02-23T11:40:07.165Z - info: [main] Processing protocol url
2022-02-23T11:40:07.175Z - warn: [ui] Unknown URL action: unknown - payload: {"name":"unknown","url":"--enable-crashpad"}
2022-02-23T11:40:07.175Z - info: [ui] [Welcome] no sign in step found. ignoring...

2022-02-23T11:52:17.874Z - info: [main] Received possible protocol arguments: 4
2022-02-23T11:52:17.874Z - info: [main] Processing protocol url
2022-02-23T11:52:17.877Z - warn: [ui] Unknown URL action: unknown - payload: {"name":"unknown","url":"--enable-crashpad"}
2022-02-23T11:52:17.889Z - info: [ui] [Welcome] kind Authentication is the same as Authentication. ignoring...
2022-02-23T11:52:17.891Z - info: [ui] [Welcome] kind Authentication is the same as Authentication. ignoring...

My environment is Kubuntu 20.04 LTS). The above log / issue can be replicated also using xdg-open with "x-github-desktop-dev-auth://oauth?code=...".

UPDATE: Interesting observation - the redirect does not contain state parameter.

[AZHELLRGX]

感谢您的来信，我将以最快时间查阅！

[jaromir-sukuba]

I think I have similar or related problem. Version 2.9.9-linux2 (x64), installed from deb package (appimage version acts the same way) running Release Linux Mint 20.2 Uma 64-bit, Firefox 96.0 (64-bit).
After clicking File->Options->Accounts->Sign in I'm asked to use browser to login, I agree on this, browser ask me to confirm opening 'x-github-desktop-dev-auth', I choose Github desktop. Then browser loads empty page, github desktop jumps back into focus and waits here forever, no login performed.
Tried the same with chromium browser, no luck either.

2022-02-23T22:30:42.839Z - info: [ui] [AppStore] loading 0 repositories from store
2022-02-23T22:30:42.916Z - info: [ui] launching: 2.9.9-linux2 (Linux 5.4.0-90-generic)
2022-02-23T22:30:42.916Z - info: [ui] execPath: '/usr/lib/github-desktop/github-desktop'
2022-02-23T22:30:48.974Z - info: [ui] [SignInStore] initializing OAuth flow
2022-02-23T22:30:48.977Z - info: [main] opening in browser: https://github.com/login/oauth/authorize?client_id=3a72...
2022-02-23T22:30:51.673Z - info: [main] Received possible protocol arguments: 4
2022-02-23T22:30:51.673Z - info: [main] Processing protocol url
2022-02-23T22:30:51.675Z - warn: [ui] Unknown URL action: unknown - payload: {"name":"unknown","url":"--enable-crashpad"}

Authorize link was manually truncated.

[RatCaptain]

I think i have the same problem as @jaromir-sukuba

2022-02-24T13:20:23.655Z - info: [ui] [AppStore] loading 0 repositories from store
2022-02-24T13:20:23.733Z - info: [ui] launching: 2.9.9-linux2 (Linux 5.16.7-1-MANJARO)
2022-02-24T13:20:23.733Z - info: [ui] execPath: '/opt/github-desktop/github-desktop'
2022-02-24T13:20:34.366Z - info: [ui] [SignInStore] initializing OAuth flow
2022-02-24T13:20:34.372Z - info: [main] opening in browser: https://github.com/login/oauth/authorize?client_id=3a723b10ac5575cc5bb9&scope=repo%20user%20workflow&state=ea08f013-6a55-4440-886f-d6d570ff4f1c
2022-02-24T13:20:36.422Z - info: [main] Received possible protocol arguments: 4
2022-02-24T13:20:36.422Z - info: [main] Processing protocol url
2022-02-24T13:20:36.423Z - warn: [ui] Unknown URL action: unknown - payload: {"name":"unknown","url":"--enable-crashpad"}

System: Manjaro 21.2.3

Tried browsers:

• Vivaldi
• Chromium

I tried these two AUR packages, they both produced the same problem:
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/github-desktop-bin
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/github-desktop

Update:
Tried Versions:
(github-desktop-bin)
2.9.0 worked
2.9.6 worked
2.9.9(1) NOT worked
2.9.9(2) NOT worked

Solution:
If you login in the 2.9.6 version and then you install the 2.9.9 ver. The system remembers you and you can use the 2.9.9 verson. (Just don't logout, because you can't log back in the 2.9.9 ver)

[jaromir-sukuba]

@RatCaptain thank you!
I can confirm, uninstalling 2.9.9, installing deb 2.9.6 worked for me. Appimage 2.9.6 didn't work.
For now I'm probably going to stay with 2.9.6 unless I find an issue resolved in following releases.