The "No valid credentials found" error means your Phantom can't log into LinkedIn with your current account credentials, usually because your session cookie is missing or expired, or your browser user agent is outdated or missing. To fix it: reconnect your LinkedIn account in your Phantom's setup to refresh the cookie, make sure you're using the latest version of Chrome or Firefox, and (if you connected manually rather than via the browser extension) update your Browser user agent string in the Phantom setup.
If your error specifically mentions an expired or invalid session cookie, see How to Fix "Expired" or "Invalid" Session Cookie Errors instead.
Why you're seeing this
This error means the Phantom can't log into LinkedIn with your current account credentials. Without valid credentials, the Phantom can't run any actions.
It usually happens when:
- Your session cookie is missing or expired → the Phantom no longer has an active login session.
- Your browser user agent is outdated or missing → the Phantom doesn't have the right browser information to mimic your login environment, so LinkedIn rejects the session.
The easiest fix: use the PhantomBuster browser extension
If you connected your account manually with a session cookie, the fastest way to avoid this error entirely is to switch to the PhantomBuster browser extension. The extension captures and maintains both your session cookie and user agent automatically, so you won't need to manage either manually.
How to fix it
Reconnect your LinkedIn account
- Go to your Phantom setup.
- Reconnect your LinkedIn account to refresh the session cookie.
Update your browser
Make sure you're using the latest version of your browser. Outdated browsers can cause authentication issues.
Update your user agent (manual connection only)
If you connected LinkedIn with the PhantomBuster browser extension, your user agent is handled automatically and you can skip this step.
If you connected your account manually (using a session cookie):
- In your Phantom setup, check the Browser user agent field.
- If it's empty, paste your current user agent string. If it looks outdated, replace it.
- To find your string, search "What's my user agent" in Google, copy the full text, and paste it into the setup.
For full steps, see How to Connect Your LinkedIn Account to PhantomBuster.
Save and relaunch
Once you've refreshed your cookie, updated your browser, and (if applicable) updated your user agent, save your Phantom setup and relaunch.
Frequently asked questions
What does "No valid credentials found" mean?
Your Phantom can't authenticate with LinkedIn using the current account setup. Either the session cookie is missing or expired, or the browser user agent doesn't match a valid login environment.
What's a user agent and why does PhantomBuster need it?
A user agent is a short text string browsers send to identify themselves (version, OS, etc.). LinkedIn uses it as part of its login validation. If you connected manually with a session cookie, PhantomBuster needs your user agent to mimic the browser where the cookie was created. The browser extension handles this automatically.
Do I need to update my user agent if I use the PhantomBuster browser extension?
No. The extension captures and maintains your user agent automatically. User agent updates are only relevant for manual cookie setups.
How is this different from "Expired session cookie"?
"Expired session cookie" is one of the causes of "No valid credentials found," but the latter is broader, it also covers missing cookies, missing user agents, and outdated browsers.
Where do I find my user agent string?
Search "What's my user agent" in Google, your full string will appear at the top of the results. Copy and paste it into the Browser user agent field in your Phantom setup.
Does this happen on non-LinkedIn Phantoms?
This specific error is typically LinkedIn-only. Similar credential errors on other platforms are usually shown as session cookie or connection errors, see the other articles in this section.
If the error keeps showing up
- If you've refreshed your session cookie, updated your browser, and checked your user agent but still see the error, get in touch with our Customer Care Team.