{"article":{"id":11034816771090,"url":"https://phantombuster.zendesk.com/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/11034816771090.json","html_url":"https://support.phantombuster.com/hc/en-us/articles/11034816771090-How-to-Fix-Expired-or-Invalid-Session-Cookie-Errors","author_id":24548449677458,"comments_disabled":false,"draft":false,"promoted":false,"position":1,"vote_sum":-2,"vote_count":2,"upvote_count":0,"downvote_count":2,"section_id":33292439773714,"created_at":"2023-04-17T08:58:51Z","updated_at":"2026-10-19T17:05:49Z","name":"How to Fix \"Expired\" or \"Invalid\" Session Cookie Errors","title":"How to Fix \"Expired\" or \"Invalid\" Session Cookie Errors","source_locale":"en-us","locale":"en-us","outdated":false,"outdated_locales":[],"edited_at":"2026-07-08T08:06:26Z","user_segment_id":null,"permission_group_id":538139,"content_tag_ids":[],"label_names":["session cookie","troubleshoot","cookie expired","reconnect account","slack connection","exit code 87","facebook session cookie","facebook proxy","facebook language"],"body":"

A session cookie error means PhantomBuster can't access your connected LinkedIn, Slack, Instagram, Facebook or other platform account, usually because you logged out, your session expired, you switched IP or device, or (for Slack) the workspace URL doesn't match your cookie. To fix it: open the Phantom showing the error, click Resolve in the console, and Re-connect the affected account from the Setup page. If the account belongs to someone else, they'll need to reconnect it themselves or share access via a magic link.

A session cookie is what PhantomBuster uses to stay connected to your LinkedIn, Instagram, Slack, Facebook or other platform account. When it expires, becomes invalid, or is tied to the wrong account, your automation can't run until the connection is refreshed.

Your automation may show one of these messages during execution:

All of these mean PhantomBuster can't access your connected account. The cause varies, use the sections below to find your situation and fix it.

\"PhantomBuster

This is the most common case. It happens when:

    \n
  1. Go to the PhantomBuster Dashboard and locate the automation showing the error.
    ➔ It will display a warning icon where your platform identity usually appears, along with an error tag.
    \"PhantomBuster\n
    2. \n
  2. Click on the error to open the Phantom console.
    3. \n
  3. Inside the console, click Resolve.
    ➔ This button appears when the session cookie is expired or invalid and points you directly to the account that needs to be refreshed.
    \"PhantomBuster\n
    4. \n
  4. You'll be redirected to its Setup page.
    ➔ The affected account will be highlighted, and you can click Re-connect next to your LinkedIn account.
    \"PhantomBuster\n
    5. \n
  5. Save your updated setup.
    6. \n

Your automation can now run again.

If you need step-by-step guidance on reconnecting your account, see:

The session has to be refreshed from the account owner's side. You have two options:

➔ See workspace members and magic links in How to Connect Your LinkedIn Account to PhantomBuster, or How to Connect Instagram, Facebook, X, and Other Accounts to PhantomBuster for other platforms.

Once the session is refreshed, the automation will work again.

Slack Phantoms require both a valid session cookie and a correct workspace URL. 
If either doesn't match the workspace you're trying to automate, the Phantom won't be able to connect. 
A common cause is having multiple Slack workspaces and using the cookie or URL from the wrong one.

    \n
  1. Go to your Phantom's setup.
    2. \n
  2. Check that the workspace URL field matches the workspace you want to automate.\n
    3. \n
  3. Open the correct Slack workspace in your browser and make sure you're logged in.
    4. \n
  4. Update your session cookie in your Phantom's settings with the one from the correct workspace.
    → If you're unsure how to do this, see How to Connect Instagram, Facebook, X, and Other Accounts to PhantomBuster.
    5. \n
  5. Save your updated setup and relaunch.
    6. \n
\"PhantomBuster

Facebook tracks both the IP location and the interface language of your session. If either drifts from your usual pattern, Facebook can flag the session, expire your cookie, or cause Phantoms to extract only partial results.

To fix it:

Note for the Facebook Group Members Export: this Phantom scrolls extensively to load profiles, which can occasionally trigger session loss mid-run. Reconnecting with a fresh cookie usually clears it.

Session cookies expire naturally, but a few habits keep them stable and reduce how often this error comes back:

What is a session cookie?

A session cookie is a small piece of data PhantomBuster uses to stay connected to your LinkedIn, Instagram, Slack, or other platform account. It proves you're logged in without requiring your password.

Why does my session cookie keep expiring?

Sessions expire for several reasons: manual logout, inactivity timeout, IP/device change, VPN use, or platform-initiated security resets. Running heavy automations or switching devices mid-run are the most common triggers.

What does \"exit code: 87\" mean?

It's the specific error code PhantomBuster uses for invalid or expired session cookies. The fix is the same as for the other session cookie messages.

Can I refresh someone else's session cookie?

Only if you have access to log into their platform account. Otherwise, they'll need to reconnect it themselves, or you can share access via a magic link (for LinkedIn).

Why does my Slack Phantom fail even when my cookie looks right?

Slack requires both a valid session cookie and a matching workspace URL. If you have multiple Slack workspaces and the cookie is from a different one than the URL field, the Phantom will fail.

Why does my Facebook Phantom keep failing even with a fresh cookie?

Facebook tracks both your IP location and account language. If your proxy isn't close to your real location (or is set to \"Anywhere\"), Facebook can flag the session and expire your cookie. Set a fixed PhantomBuster proxy in a nearby location, and make sure your Facebook account language is set to English.

Why is my Facebook Phantom only returning 10 results?

This usually means your Facebook account language isn't set to English. Facebook Phantoms rely on the English UI to navigate popups and scrolling behavior, other languages can break extracting and reduce the result count. Switch your Facebook language to English and relaunch.

How do I prevent this from happening so often?

Stay logged into your platform, respect rate limits, avoid switching IP addresses or devices during runs (or use a proxy), log in periodically to keep sessions alive, and scale your automation volume gradually.

If you've tried both fixes above and the error keeps coming back, get in touch with our Customer Care Team. Include the Phantom name, the error message, and a recent launch log so we can investigate.

"}}