# Gitea actions job can't access a private repository?

**URL:** <https://forum.gitea.com/t/gitea-actions-job-cant-access-a-private-repository/12435>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [September 16, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://forum.gitea.com/t/gitea-actions-job-cant-access-a-private-repository/12435 "2026-09-16T16:55:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![maddyandrewoff](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.gitea.com/maddyandrewoff/32/7541_2.png) [@maddyandrewoff](https://forum.gitea.com/u/maddyandrewoff)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://forum.gitea.com/t/gitea-actions-job-cant-access-a-private-repository/12435/1 "2026-09-16T16:55:39Z")

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Hi, I’m trying to use a private repository from a Gitea Actions workflow[,](https://geometrrydashapk.com/) but the job gets a permission denied error when accessing it. The runner itself is working. What’s the correct way to give an Actions job access to another private repository?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![discourse\_ai\_spam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c68b51/32.png) [@discourse\_ai\_spam](https://forum.gitea.com/u/discourse_ai_spam)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 4:55pm UTC](https://forum.gitea.com/t/gitea-actions-job-cant-access-a-private-repository/12435/2 "2026-09-16T16:55:41Z")

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/gitea/original/2X/a/a87c8e8329cc4796c42c5847bf6c635de8df3ae3.png) [@system](https://forum.gitea.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.gitea.com/t/gitea-actions-job-cant-access-a-private-repository/12435/3 "2026-09-18T20:14:42Z")

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nite\_route](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.gitea.com/nite_route/32/7522_2.png) [@nite\_route](https://forum.gitea.com/u/nite_route)\
**Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 12:21am UTC](https://forum.gitea.com/t/gitea-actions-job-cant-access-a-private-repository/12435/4 "2026-09-22T00:21:20Z")

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for a private repo from another private repo in actions, the job token only covers the repo the workflow is running in by default.

usual fixes:

1. store a PAT (or access token) with read on the other private repo as a secret, then checkout with that token

2. or use a deploy key / app token scoped to that other repo

example:

```

- uses: actions/checkout@v4

with:

```
repository: owner/other-private-repo

token: ${{ secrets.READ_OTHER_REPO }}

```

```

the runner being healthy doesnt grant cross-repo access by itself.