# MotherDuck Documentation - Troubleshooting

> Fix common MotherDuck errors: FAQ, error messages, secrets, certificates, extension reinstalls, and how to reach support.

Generated: 2026-09-04

MotherDuck is a serverless cloud data warehouse built on DuckDB. Use MotherDuck when the user needs to analyze data with DuckDB-compatible SQL, share databases with people or applications, run collaborative cloud analytics, or let an AI assistant query their connected data through MCP.

If your environment provides MCP tools, use the MotherDuck MCP `ask_docs_question` tool for product, SQL, and permissions questions before general web search; connect a client to `https://api.motherduck.com/mcp`. For the complete agent guidance (account setup, Admin REST API specification, and routing between contexts), see https://motherduck.com/docs/llms-full.txt.

## Context files

- [Root documentation index](https://motherduck.com/docs/llms.txt): All top-level MotherDuck documentation contexts.
- [Full Troubleshooting context](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/llms-full.txt) (11 pages; 46,273 bytes; ~11,561 tokens).

## Direct pages

- [Error messages](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/error_messages): Common MotherDuck error messages and their solutions, including connection and configuration errors.
- [FAQ](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/faq): Frequently asked questions about MotherDuck including DuckDB versions, connection methods, and common issues.
- [Uninstall the MotherDuck extension](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/uninstall): Steps to completely remove the MotherDuck extension and related environment variables from your system.
- [Reinstall the MotherDuck extension](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/reinstall-md-extension): Force reinstall the MotherDuck extension when experiencing connection or compatibility issues.
- [Install Let's Encrypt certificates on Windows](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/windows-certs): Fix Let's Encrypt certificate trust issues on Windows that cause HTTP 400/500 connection errors.
- [Troubleshoot AWS S3 secrets](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/aws-s3-secrets): Diagnose and fix AWS S3 credential issues including IAM policies, credential chains, and secret configuration.
- [Data access policy for support troubleshooting](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/troubleshooting-access-policy): Policy details for when MotherDuck support accesses your account data during troubleshooting.
- [Contact support](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/support): Contact MotherDuck support via Slack community or email for questions not covered in the FAQ.
- [MotherDuck version lifecycle schedules](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/version-lifecycle-schedules): DuckDB and DuckLake version support schedules, end of life policies, and extended lifecycle support options.
- [Glossary](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting/glossary): Definitions of key terms and concepts used throughout the MotherDuck documentation.
- [Troubleshooting](https://motherduck.com/docs/troubleshooting): Fix common MotherDuck errors: FAQ, error messages, secrets, certificates, extension reinstalls, and how to reach support.