VcXsrv: Authorization required, but no authorization protocol specified
X11 apps from WSL refused to open on a VcXsrv display with "Authorization required, but no authorization protocol specified". Relaunching VcXsrv with "Disable access control" ticked fixed it.
Tested onWindows 10; WSL2; VcXsrv
Symptoms #
Starting an X11 program from WSL2 against a VcXsrv X server on the Windows side failed with:
textAuthorization required, but no authorization protocol specified
Cause #
VcXsrv's access control rejects the connection, because WSL2 connects over a virtual network and does not have a matching Xauthority cookie.
Fix #
Quit VcXsrv and start it again with XLaunch. On the Extra settings page tick Disable access control. Programs then connect normally.
This lets anything that can reach the port open windows on your display. Keep the Windows firewall rule for VcXsrv limited to private networks.