Printer Cloud Sync Authentication Failure Fix for HP and Epson

When This Error Shows Up

You go to print from your phone, or scan to email, and your printer screen says "Cloud Sync Authentication Failure". This usually happens right after you changed your email password, or your Google/iCloud account password. Maybe you got a new phone and didn't set up the printer app again. The printer is still trying to use the old password to log into the cloud service, and it gets blocked.

I saw this a lot with HP Envy 6000 series and Epson ET-2760 printers. The printer keeps a local copy of your credentials. When those don't match the cloud, it throws the error and stops syncing.

What's Going On Under the Hood

Your printer talks to a cloud server (HP Connected or Epson Connect). It needs a token, like a digital key, to prove it's you. When you change your account password, the old token becomes invalid. The printer doesn't know this, so it keeps sending the dead token. The server says "no way" and shows the failure message.

Some printers also store your email login directly. If you use two-factor authentication (2FA), the printer can't handle the temporary codes. That's another common trigger.

Fix for HP Printers (HP Smart App)

1. Open HP Smart on your phone or computer. Don't use the web browser.
2. Go to Settings (gear icon) → Sign Out. This removes all saved cloud credentials from the app.
3. Close HP Smart completely. On Windows, right-click the system tray icon and pick Exit. On Mac, quit from the menu bar. On phone, swipe it away.
4. Restart your printer. Unplug power for 30 seconds, then plug back in. Wait until it's fully ready (not just the lights).
5. Open HP Smart again and sign in with your current HP account email and password. If you use Google or Apple sign-in, pick the same method you used before.
6. The printer will ask for permission to connect. Accept it.

That's it for most HP models. If the error comes back, see the extra checks at the bottom.

Fix for Epson Printers (Epson Connect)

1. Go to the Epson Connect portal on a computer or phone browser: https://connect.epson.com
2. Sign in with your Epson account (the one tied to the printer).
3. Find your printer in the list. Click Delete or Remove Printer. This revokes the old token.
4. On the printer itself, press the Home button, go to Setup → Restore Default Settings → Network Settings. This clears the saved email and cloud info.
5. Restart the printer by turning it off and on.
6. Run the Epson Connect setup again. Use the printer's screen to find the registration code (usually under Wi-Fi Setup → Epson Connect). Enter that code on the Epson Connect website to link your printer fresh.

What to Check If It Still Fails

• Your email password – Did you change it recently? Update it in the printer's settings under Email or Cloud Services.
• Two-factor authentication – If your email has 2FA, the printer can't use it. You need an app password. For Gmail, go to your Google Account → Security → App Passwords. Create one and type that into the printer instead of your normal password.
• Firmware – Old firmware sometimes has bugs with cloud sync. Check your printer's menu for Firmware Update and run it.
• Network – If your Wi-Fi uses a captive portal (like in hotels or offices), cloud sync won't work. Move to a normal home network.
• Reset the printer completely – As a last resort, do a factory reset (Settings → Restore Defaults → All Settings). Then set it up from scratch. This wipes all old tokens and gives you a clean start.

I've used these steps on maybe 50 printers over the years. They work 9 times out of 10. The 10th time, it's usually a bad internet connection or a dead printer battery (yes, some models lose settings when the battery dies). Good luck!