[Bug] The authentication error that occurs only when the 16KB page size is enabled

[genta-mz]

Description

Regarding the crash caused by the 16KB page size issue reported here, we have confirmed that the issue has been resolved in Firebase Unity SDK version 12.10.0. However, we have encountered the following problem, which we would like to bring to your attention for further investigation.

When launching the app with a 16KB page size on a device that is not logged into a Google account, the following error occurs during Firebase initialization:

06-30 17:22:47.863 E/FirebaseInstanceId(13632): Topic sync or token retrieval failed on hard failure exceptions: AUTHENTICATION_FAILED. Won't retry the operation.
06-30 17:22:47.916 E/Unity   (13632): FirebaseException: AUTHENTICATION_FAILED

Logging into a Google account on the device resolves the issue, and even after deleting the account from the device, the problem does not recur. However, if the device is reset and the app is launched again with no Google account logged in, the original error reappears. This suggests some issue related to devices that are not logged into a Google account.

Note: This problem does not occur on Android devices that are not set to a 16KB page size, nor does it occur on iOS devices.

Additionally, though the connection here is unclear, the error log references FirebaseInstanceId. It appears that the latest version of com.google.firebase.instance-id is 7.2.0, released in May 2021, but this library has since been deprecated:

• Firebase Instance ID Privacy Overview
• Firebase Instance ID Documentation

In our implementation, we do not explicitly specify the com.google.firebase.instance-id library. This raises the concern that something unexpected might be happening inside the Firebase SDK's internal mechanisms. We wanted to highlight this as a potential cause and provide this information for further review.

Reproducing the issue

• Initialize the device and set it to a state where the Google account is logged out.
• Enable the 16KB page size.
• Execute FirebaseMessaging.GetTokenAsync() from an application that integrates Firebase SDK version 12.10.0.
• An AUTHENTICATION_FAILED error occurs.

Firebase Unity SDK Version

12.10.0

Unity editor version

2022.3.58f1

Installation Method

Unity Package Manager

Problematic Firebase Component(s)

Authentication

Other Firebase Component(s) in use

No response

Additional SDKs you are using

No response

Targeted Platform(s)

Android

Unity editor platform

Mac

Scripting Runtime

IL2CPP

Release Distribution Type

Pre-built SDK from https://firebase.google.com/download/unity

Relevant Log Output

06-30 17:22:40.738 I/firebase(13632): Firebase Analytics API Initializing
06-30 17:22:40.739 I/firebase(13632): analytics API Initialized
06-30 17:22:40.741 I/firebase(13632): Firebase Cloud Messaging API Initialized
06-30 17:22:40.753 I/Unity   (13632): [***.Log]resolve all Firebase dependencies: Available
06-30 17:22:40.753 I/Unity   (13632): <size=10><i>InitializeAsync() at FirebaseService.cs:172</i></size>

06-30 17:22:40.762 D/BackgroundInstallControlService( 1343): Package event received: 0
06-30 17:22:40.762 I/firebase(13632): Firebase Analytics API Initializing
06-30 17:22:40.762 I/firebase(13632): analytics API Initialized
06-30 17:22:40.763 I/firebase(13632): Firebase Cloud Messaging API Initialized

06-30 17:22:40.779 E/FirebaseInstanceId(13632): Topic sync or token retrieval failed on hard failure exceptions: AUTHENTICATION_FAILED. Won't retry the operation.

06-30 17:22:40.812 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase Analytics API Initializing
06-30 17:22:40.812 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.AppUtilPINVOKE:PollCallbacks()
06-30 17:22:40.812 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.AppUtil:PollCallbacks()
06-30 17:22:40.812 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.Platform.FirebaseHandler:Update()
06-30 17:22:40.812 I/Unity   (13632): 
06-30 17:22:40.813 I/Unity   (13632): analytics API Initialized
06-30 17:22:40.813 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.AppUtilPINVOKE:PollCallbacks()
06-30 17:22:40.813 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.AppUtil:PollCallbacks()
06-30 17:22:40.813 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.Platform.FirebaseHandler:Update()
06-30 17:22:40.813 I/Unity   (13632): 
06-30 17:22:40.814 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase Cloud Messaging API Initialized
06-30 17:22:40.814 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.AppUtilPINVOKE:PollCallbacks()
06-30 17:22:40.814 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.AppUtil:PollCallbacks()
06-30 17:22:40.814 I/Unity   (13632): Firebase.Platform.FirebaseHandler:Update()
06-30 17:22:40.814 I/Unity   (13632): 

06-30 17:22:47.833 I/Unity   (13632): [***.Log]resolve all Firebase dependencies: Available
06-30 17:22:47.833 I/Unity   (13632): <size=10><i>InitializeAsync() at FirebaseService.cs:172</i></size>

06-30 17:22:47.863 E/FirebaseInstanceId(13632): Topic sync or token retrieval failed on hard failure exceptions: AUTHENTICATION_FAILED. Won't retry the operation.

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[google-oss-bot]

I couldn't figure out how to label this issue, so I've labeled it for a human to triage. Hang tight.

[argzdev]

Hey @genta-mz, thanks for filing a well detailed report. I'm trying to reproduce the issue according to your steps, however somehow I'm not encountering this issue using our Firebase Unity quickstart for messaging. Here's the steps I did to test the scenario:

1. Create new virtual emulator API version 36 with "Pre-release 16 KB Page Size Google Play ARM 64 v8a System Image"
2. Run adb shell getconf PAGE_SIZE to see if output is 16384 to verify that it's using a 16 KB environment
3. Open Firebase Unity quickstart for messaging](https://github.com/firebase/firebase-unity-sdk/tree/main/messaging)
4. Add FirebaseMessaging.unitypackage version 12.10.0 (I also tried adding FirebaseAuth.unitypackage)
5. Call Firebase.Messaging.FirebaseMessaging.GetTokenAsync()
6. Successful retrieval of the token

2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity GetTokenAsync completed
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Sample.Messaging.UIHandler:DebugLog(String)
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Sample.Messaging.UIHandler:LogTaskCompletion(Task, String)
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Sample.Messaging.<>c__DisplayClass21_0:<GUIDisplayControls>b__3(Task`1)
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Extensions.<>c__DisplayClass4_1`1:<ContinueWithOnMainThread>b__1()
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.<>c__DisplayClass5_0`1:<RunAsync>b__0()
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.ExceptionAggregator:Wrap(Action)
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Dispatcher:PollJobs()
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Platform.FirebaseHandler:Update()
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity 
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity GetTokenAsync result: eMHYNNejQtycokdHMYMosS:APA91bGvE3J4uzSk7qKBbDSZwNicnU3Em-D1LTQYpcN5Z9fXhBPJ_YbW1gJLZQ3TsxWePhpA9Mf7Khn1WuwY-ejJ4hx181ZsZQLJEUXL50MmCWPtKN1UvhI
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Sample.Messaging.UIHandler:DebugLog(String)
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Extensions.<>c__DisplayClass4_1`1:<ContinueWithOnMainThread>b__1()
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.<>c__DisplayClass5_0`1:<RunAsync>b__0()
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.ExceptionAggregator:Wrap(Action)
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Dispatcher:PollJobs()
2025/07/03 00:12:16.078 4334 4426 Info Unity Firebase.Platform.FirebaseHandler:Update()

Since the virtual emulator is newly created, no google play account has been logged in yet. I also checked to make sure no accounts has been added. However, so far the issue is not reproducible. Not sure if there's any steps that I'm missing.

[genta-mz]

Hello, thank you for checking.

I also tried adding FirebaseAuth.unitypackage

In our project, we hadn't integrated FirebaseAuth before, but upon adding the associated unitypackage for this library, the issue was resolved!
Is this library something that needs to be individually integrated in order to use Firebase Messaging?

[argzdev]

Hi @genta-mz, that's an odd behavior. Firebase Messaging should work without any dependency from other Firebase products. In fact, I thought you needed to add FirebaseAuth to reproduce the behavior. So I'm not quite sure what is triggering the issue. It could be something else entirely.

Upon checking the native Firebase Android SDK for Firebase Messaging. It does seem like the FCM is still using Firebase Instance ID within its codebase, though it still doesn't give any clue what's causing the behavior.

That said, could you try removing FirebaseAuth, and see if still works? If it does, then it could've been a server problem causing a temporary issue.