deprecated version of actions/upload-artifact CI/CD Origin: Build & delivery Last updated 25 Oct 2026

GitHub Actions: Error: This request has been automatically failed because it uses a deprecated version of `actions/upload-artifact: v3`

Since January 2025 the v3 artifact actions no longer work — upload and download steps fail until you move to v4.

Exact message you may see This request has been automatically failed because it uses a deprecated version of `actions/upload-artifact: v3`deprecated version of actions/upload-artifactdeprecated version of actions/download-artifactactions/upload-artifact@v3 deprecatedLearn more: https://github.blog/changelog/2024-04-16-deprecation-notice-v3-of-the-artifact-actions
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Seen on: GitHub Actions

Meaning

Upgrade actions/upload-artifact and actions/download-artifact to @v4. Behaviour changed: artifact names must be unique per run (matrix jobs need distinct names), artifacts are immutable, and download-artifact v4 only sees artifacts of the same run unless you pass a token and run id. Merge many artifacts with merge-multiple.

Common causes

  • upload-artifact@v3 or download-artifact@v3 in a workflow
  • Third-party action that internally uses v3
  • Same artifact name uploaded by several matrix legs (not allowed in v4)
  • Old self-hosted GHES version without v4 support

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Change both actions to @v4
  2. Give each matrix leg a unique artifact name (name: build-${{ matrix.os }})
  3. Download several with pattern: and merge-multiple: true

Detailed fix by platform

GitHub Actions

  1. Upload: uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4 with name and path
  2. Download all: actions/download-artifact@v4 with pattern: build-* and merge-multiple: true

Code examples

v4 with matrix names

yaml
- uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
  with:
    name: build-${{ matrix.os }}       # must be unique per run in v4
    path: dist/

How to diagnose

  1. Version — Which artifact action versions are used?
  2. Names — Unique per matrix leg?
  3. Source — Own workflow or third-party action?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: Build & delivery. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

API rate limit exceeded — GitHub Actions: HttpError: API rate limit exceeded for installation ID 123456 / secondary rate limit (CI/CD)API rate limit exceed…Cache not found / Unable to reserve cache — GitHub Actions: Cache not found for input keys: npm-Linux-abc123 / Failed to save: Unable to reserve cache with key, another job may be creating this cache (CI/CD)Cache not found / Una…Context access might be invalid — GitHub Actions: Context access might be invalid: AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID (editor warning for secrets/vars) (CI/CD)Context access might …couldn't find remote ref (checkout) — GitHub Actions: fatal: couldn't find remote ref refs/heads/feature — The process '/usr/bin/git' failed with exit code 1 (actions/checkout) (CI/CD)couldn't find remote …Credentials could not be loaded — GitHub Actions: Error: Credentials could not be loaded, please check your action inputs: Could not load credentials from any providers (CI/CD)Credentials could not…Job depends on artifacts that have expired — GitLab CI: This job could not start because it could not retrieve the needed artifacts (dependencies: build). (CI/CD)Job depends on artifa…Node.js 16 actions are deprecated — GitHub Actions: Node.js 16 actions are deprecated. Please update the following actions to use Node.js 20: actions/checkout@v3 (CI/CD)Node.js 16 actions ar…Unable to download artifact — GitHub Actions: Error: Unable to download artifact(s): Artifact not found for name: build (CI/CD)Unable to download ar…deprecate…

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