Cannot skip browser login with SHOPIFY_CLI_DEVICE_AUTH=1

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Topic summary

A developer is unable to authenticate Shopify CLI on a remote Ubuntu 20.04 server without a browser.

Previous workaround no longer works:

  • The environment variable SHOPIFY_CLI_ACCESS_CODE_AUTH=1 previously allowed login without a browser
  • After updating to the latest CLI version, this method stopped functioning

Current behavior:

  • CLI prompts to press any key to open a browser login page
  • Pressing any key triggers an error: Error: spawn xdg-open ENOENT
  • The error originates from Node.js child process attempting to launch a browser that doesn’t exist

Status:

  • User filed a GitHub issue (#4945) last Friday
  • No response or solution has been provided yet
  • The issue remains unresolved, blocking CLI usage on headless/remote environments
Summarized with AI on November 5. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

I install the CLI in my remote Ubuntu 20.04 dev server. There is no browser to login the CLI. Previously, I can use the option SHOPIFY_CLI_ACCESS_CODE_AUTH=1 npm run dev to login without problem.

When I use the latest CLI, I cannot login anymore. The CLI asks me to press any key and then gives an error:

bennychan:~/abc$ SHOPIFY_CLI_ACCESS_CODE_AUTH=1 npm run dev – --theme 1234

dev> shopify app dev --theme 1234

To run this command, log in to Shopify.
:backhand_index_pointing_right: Press any key to open the login page on your browser

When I press any key, it gives this error:

Error: spawn xdg-open ENOENT
at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:286:19)
at onErrorNT (node:internal/child_process:484:16)
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:82:21)

How can I fix this issue? Any one has the same issue. I don’t understand why the CLI asks me to login suddenly and the option is not working.

I’ve also posted an issue on Github on last Friday. But there is no reply yet.

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