getting "unauthorized" setting up a flow

Question

I'm trying to set up a flow in Power Automate: When a file is created or modified in a SharePoint folder>send an email notification V3.

When I try to test it it says "Unauthorized" at the send an email trigger.

I have made sure the correct email is connected.

I'm new, any advice?

Answer 1

Hi @Laura Rathbone,

Thank you for reaching out. Regarding your information, the "unauthorized" error encountered during the Send an email notification (V3) step typically indicates an authentication, permission, or tenant policy issue related to the email connector itself, rather than an error within the SharePoint folder trigger. 

To help resolve this, kindly follow the following troubleshooting steps: 

1/ Refresh or recreate the email connection 

The most common resolution involves re-establishing the digital handshake between the services: 

• Navigate to More > Discover All > Connections under Data within Power Automate. 
• Locate the connection used by the email action and select Reconnect. 
• Alternatively, remove the existing connection and create a new one. Once updated, ensure the flow is pointed toward this refreshed connection and re-test the process.
  Ensure the Status is always Connected. 

2/ Transition to the Office 365 Outlook Connector 

In many tenants, the generic "Mail/Notifications" action can trigger an unauthorized status due to security configurations. 

• Recommendation: Replace the "Send an email notification (V3)" step with Office 365 Outlook > Send an email (V2). 
• The Office 365 Outlook connector is generally more robust and adheres more reliably to standard business licensing. 

3/ Verify shared mailbox permissions 

If the flow is configured to send "from" a shared mailbox or a different user's address, the account associated with the connection must have explicit "Send As" or "Send on Behalf of" permissions. Without these, the system will return an "Unauthorized" or "Forbidden" response. 

Additionally, because this issue is often influenced by specific tenant governance and environment settings, I highly recommend engaging with the Power Automate Community. Experienced makers and specialists there can provide targeted advice on optimizing your notification patterns and navigating complex policy constraints. 

Moderator Note: Please be advised that as a moderator, I can provide general guidance and best practices based on standard documentation. However, I do not have direct access to your specific tenant, environment settings, or connection health to validate the exact root cause. If these adjustments do not resolve the error, involving your internal IT admin or the dedicated community forums is the most effective path forward. 

Thank you for your cooperation and patience.

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Answer 2

"Unauthorized" on the Send an email (V3) action usually means a connection/permissions issue with the mailbox or environment, not with the SharePoint trigger.

Use these steps:

1. Confirm the Outlook connection in the flow
   • Edit the flow.
   • Open the Send an email (V2/V3) action.
   • On the action card, select the ellipsis (…) > Connections (or … > Add new connection).
   • Create a new Office 365 Outlook connection using the account that should send the email.
   • Save the flow and test again.
2. Check mailbox permissions (especially if using a shared mailbox)
   • If the From field is set to a shared mailbox, ensure the account used in the Outlook connection has permission to send from that mailbox.
   • As guidance, to send email from a shared inbox via Power Automate, permissions to send from that shared inbox are required; verify by sending a test email from that mailbox in Outlook.
3. Verify environment/admin mode
   • If the environment is in admin mode, background processes (including flows) are turned off and can cause trigger/action issues.
   • In the Power Platform admin center, open the environment used by the flow and ensure Administration mode is Disabled, then save and retest.
4. Reset the action/connection if the error persists
   • Edit the flow.
   • Remove the Send an email action.
   • Add it again and reconfigure the fields.
   • Optionally, switch the Outlook connection on that action to a different connection and then back.
   • Save, then use Test in the designer and run through a manual test.

If the flow still shows "Unauthorized" after these steps, create a copy of the flow and test the copy, as suggested for stubborn trigger/action issues.

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References:

• Troubleshoot Power Automate trigger issues and errors
• Troubleshoot common issues with triggers
• Troubleshoot common issues with email in flows
• Wait for approval in Power Automate