When querying the Okta Users Application Programming Interface (API) using the filter parameter (for example, ?filter=profile.email eq "user@example.com"), the request is strictly case-sensitive. If the casing in the API request does not exactly match the casing stored in the Okta user profile, the API will return an empty result (Length: 0).
This behavior often leads to the following error in downstream applications:
User Not Found
The following error can also appear during authentication:
400 Login Failed
- Okta Users API (
/api/v1/users) - Application Programming Interface (API) Filtering and Searching
- Custom Integrations and SSO Login Flows
- Okta Classic Engine
- Okta Identity Engine (OIE)
The filter parameter in the Users API performs a literal string comparison against indexed attributes. Because email addresses in Okta can be stored with mixed casing (for example, John.Doe@example.com), a search using all lowercase will fail to match. This is distinct from standard email protocol behavior, which typically treats the domain portion as case-insensitive.
To resolve inconsistent results caused by casing, use one of the following two methods:
Use the search parameter (Recommended)
The search parameter is designed for more flexible queries and is case-insensitive for core profile attributes like email and login.
- Filter Syntax (Case-Sensitive):
GET /api/v1/users?filter=profile.email eq "love@yahoo.com"> Returns 0 results if stored as "Love@yahoo.com" - Search Syntax (Case-Insensitive):
GET /api/v1/users?search=profile.email eq "love@yahoo.com"> Returns the user record regardless of casing.
Query by User ID
For the most reliable integration, retrieve the unique Okta User ID (starting with 00u...) and use it for all direct API calls. The User ID is a system-generated alphanumeric string that is immune to casing issues, name changes, or email updates.
-
Endpoint:
GET /api/v1/users/{{userId}}.
