Updating or Creating Users Fails with Dotted Fields Error
Sep 10, 2025
Overview
This article explains how to resolve the following error in the Authentication API Debugger using the PATCH /api/v2/users/{id} endpoint of management API when updating the user metadata in actions.
Fields with \".\" are not allowed, please remove all dotted fields.
Example: https://<domain>.com/tenant".
Applies To
- Users Endpoint
- API Debugger
Cause
. (dot) or $ (dollar sign) characters.Metadata field names - Accepted characters
Solution
. (dot) or $ (dollar sign) characters from the field names in the user_metadata or app_metadata.
- Perform this action using the Management API to update the metadata.
- Updating metadata in the Tenant Dashboard will not work.
- You can use the Management API Explorer or any API client (e.g., Postman) you prefer to make the management API call.
- Please follow this document to obtain the access token for Management API first: Management API Access Tokens.
- Use the PATCH /api/v2/users/{id} endpoint to remove the user's app_metadata (you can get the user_id from the tenant dashboard).
- Update a user API
- Set the payload as below:
{
"app_metadata": {}
}
-
Setting the `app_metadata` to an empty object will delete the `app_metadata` completely.
- Use the PATCH /api/v2/users/{id} endpoint again to add the user's app_metadata with desired value:
- (If you don't need the app_metadata anymore, skip this step)
{
"app_metadata": {
"https://no_dot_field_name/fav_color": "pink"
}
}
- The `app_metadata` is updated with no dot in the field name.
