diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 24aa81d1..71f963e3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -92,10 +92,6 @@ See [action.yml](action.yml)
     # Default: ''
     scope: ''
 
-    # Set always-auth option in npmrc file.
-    # Default: ''
-    always-auth: ''
-
     # Optional mirror to download binaries from.
     # Artifacts need to match the official Node.js
     # Example:
diff --git a/__tests__/authutil.test.ts b/__tests__/authutil.test.ts
index 0676a850..d5f6c195 100644
--- a/__tests__/authutil.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/authutil.test.ts
@@ -76,115 +76,102 @@ describe('authutil tests', () => {
   }
 
   it('Sets up npmrc for npmjs', async () => {
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'false');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
 
     expect(fs.statSync(rcFile)).toBeDefined();
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     const rc = readRcFile(rcFile);
     expect(rc['registry']).toBe('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
-    expect(rc['always-auth']).toBe('false');
   });
 
   it('Appends trailing slash to registry', async () => {
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org', 'false');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org');
 
     expect(fs.statSync(rcFile)).toBeDefined();
     const rc = readRcFile(rcFile);
     expect(rc['registry']).toBe('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
-    expect(rc['always-auth']).toBe('false');
   });
 
   it('Configures scoped npm registries', async () => {
     process.env['INPUT_SCOPE'] = 'myScope';
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org', 'false');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org');
 
     expect(fs.statSync(rcFile)).toBeDefined();
     const rc = readRcFile(rcFile);
     expect(rc['@myscope:registry']).toBe('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
-    expect(rc['always-auth']).toBe('false');
   });
 
   it('Automatically configures GPR scope', async () => {
-    await auth.configAuthentication('npm.pkg.github.com', 'false');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('npm.pkg.github.com');
 
     expect(fs.statSync(rcFile)).toBeDefined();
     const rc = readRcFile(rcFile);
     expect(rc['@ownername:registry']).toBe('npm.pkg.github.com/');
-    expect(rc['always-auth']).toBe('false');
-  });
-
-  it('Sets up npmrc for always-auth true', async () => {
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
-    expect(fs.statSync(rcFile)).toBeDefined();
-    const rc = readRcFile(rcFile);
-    expect(rc['registry']).toBe('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
-    expect(rc['always-auth']).toBe('true');
   });
 
   it('is already set the NODE_AUTH_TOKEN export it', async () => {
     process.env.NODE_AUTH_TOKEN = 'foobar';
-    await auth.configAuthentication('npm.pkg.github.com', 'false');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('npm.pkg.github.com');
     expect(fs.statSync(rcFile)).toBeDefined();
     const rc = readRcFile(rcFile);
     expect(rc['@ownername:registry']).toBe('npm.pkg.github.com/');
-    expect(rc['always-auth']).toBe('false');
     expect(process.env.NODE_AUTH_TOKEN).toEqual('foobar');
   });
 
   it('configAuthentication should overwrite non-scoped with non-scoped', async () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(rcFile, 'registry=NNN');
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 
   it('configAuthentication should overwrite only non-scoped', async () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(rcFile, `registry=NNN${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=MMM`);
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `@myscope:registry=MMM${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `@myscope:registry=MMM${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 
   it('configAuthentication should add non-scoped to scoped', async () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(rcFile, '@myscope:registry=NNN');
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `@myscope:registry=NNN${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `@myscope:registry=NNN${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 
   it('configAuthentication should overwrite scoped with scoped', async () => {
     process.env['INPUT_SCOPE'] = 'myscope';
     fs.writeFileSync(rcFile, `@myscope:registry=NNN`);
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 
   it('configAuthentication should overwrite only scoped', async () => {
     process.env['INPUT_SCOPE'] = 'myscope';
     fs.writeFileSync(rcFile, `registry=NNN${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=MMM`);
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `registry=NNN${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `registry=NNN${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 
   it('configAuthentication should add scoped to non-scoped', async () => {
     process.env['INPUT_SCOPE'] = 'myscope';
     fs.writeFileSync(rcFile, `registry=MMM`);
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `registry=MMM${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `registry=MMM${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 
@@ -194,20 +181,20 @@ describe('authutil tests', () => {
       rcFile,
       `@otherscope:registry=NNN${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=MMM`
     );
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `@otherscope:registry=NNN${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `@otherscope:registry=NNN${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 
   it('configAuthentication should add scoped to another scoped', async () => {
     process.env['INPUT_SCOPE'] = 'myscope';
     fs.writeFileSync(rcFile, `@otherscope:registry=MMM`);
-    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/', 'true');
+    await auth.configAuthentication('https://registry.npmjs.org/');
     const contents = fs.readFileSync(rcFile, {encoding: 'utf8'});
     expect(contents).toBe(
-      `@otherscope:registry=MMM${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/${os.EOL}always-auth=true`
+      `@otherscope:registry=MMM${os.EOL}//registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=\${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}${os.EOL}@myscope:registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/`
     );
   });
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/canary-installer.test.ts b/__tests__/canary-installer.test.ts
index 4393d7ef..93daf17c 100644
--- a/__tests__/canary-installer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/canary-installer.test.ts
@@ -227,7 +227,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '11.15.0';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -283,7 +282,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '19.0.0-v8-canary';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     findSpy.mockImplementation(() => '');
@@ -324,7 +322,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = version;
       inputs['architecture'] = arch;
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
       const expectedUrl = `https://nodejs.org/download/v8-canary/v${version}/node-v${version}-${platform}-${arch}.${fileExtension}`;
@@ -569,7 +566,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
       const versionSpec = 'v20-v8-canary';
 
       inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
       os.platform = 'linux';
diff --git a/__tests__/nightly-installer.test.ts b/__tests__/nightly-installer.test.ts
index eece2c34..b95a42d2 100644
--- a/__tests__/nightly-installer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/nightly-installer.test.ts
@@ -255,7 +255,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '13.13.1-nightly20200415947ddec091';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -291,7 +290,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     ];
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -333,7 +331,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     ];
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -389,7 +386,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '18.0.0-nightly202204180699150267';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     findSpy.mockImplementation(() => '');
@@ -427,7 +423,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = version;
       inputs['architecture'] = arch;
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
       const expectedUrl = `https://nodejs.org/download/nightly/v${version}/node-v${version}-${platform}-${arch}.${fileExtension}`;
@@ -473,7 +468,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = version;
       inputs['architecture'] = arch;
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
       inputs['mirror'] = 'https://my-mirror.org';
       inputs['mirror-token'] = 'my-mirror-token';
diff --git a/__tests__/official-installer.test.ts b/__tests__/official-installer.test.ts
index f23183d3..fa46c35e 100644
--- a/__tests__/official-installer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/official-installer.test.ts
@@ -235,7 +235,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const resolvedVersion = versionSpec;
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     const expectedUrl =
@@ -290,7 +289,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '11.15.0';
     const mirror = 'https://my_mirror_url';
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
     inputs['mirror'] = mirror;
     inputs['mirror-token'] = 'faketoken';
@@ -327,7 +325,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '11.15.0';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -385,7 +382,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const resolvedVersion = versionSpec;
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     findSpy.mockImplementation(() => '');
@@ -405,7 +401,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '11.15.0';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -448,7 +443,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = version;
       inputs['architecture'] = arch;
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
       const expectedUrl =
@@ -560,7 +554,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
       inputs['check-latest'] = 'true';
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
       // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -602,7 +595,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
       inputs['check-latest'] = 'true';
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
       // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -882,7 +874,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = version;
       inputs['architecture'] = arch;
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
       inputs['mirror'] = 'https://my_mirror_url';
       inputs['mirror-token'] = 'faketoken';
diff --git a/__tests__/rc-installer.test.ts b/__tests__/rc-installer.test.ts
index 736260a4..e159044b 100644
--- a/__tests__/rc-installer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/rc-installer.test.ts
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '13.0.0-rc.0';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     // ... but not in the local cache
@@ -239,7 +238,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
     const versionSpec = '14.7.0-rc.1';
 
     inputs['node-version'] = versionSpec;
-    inputs['always-auth'] = false;
     inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
     findSpy.mockImplementation(() => '');
@@ -268,7 +266,6 @@ describe('setup-node', () => {
 
       inputs['node-version'] = version;
       inputs['architecture'] = arch;
-      inputs['always-auth'] = false;
       inputs['token'] = 'faketoken';
 
       const expectedUrl = `https://nodejs.org/download/rc/v${version}/node-v${version}-${platform}-${arch}.${fileExtension}`;
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 73c766bc..da747954 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@ name: 'Setup Node.js environment'
 description: 'Setup a Node.js environment by adding problem matchers and optionally downloading and adding it to the PATH.'
 author: 'GitHub'
 inputs:
-  always-auth:
-    description: 'Set always-auth in npmrc.'
-    default: 'false'
   node-version:
     description: 'Version Spec of the version to use. Examples: 12.x, 10.15.1, >=10.15.0.'
   node-version-file:
diff --git a/dist/setup/index.js b/dist/setup/index.js
index 4aa29b26..5d451259 100644
--- a/dist/setup/index.js
+++ b/dist/setup/index.js
@@ -98514,15 +98514,15 @@ const os = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(70857));
 const path = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(16928));
 const core = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(37484));
 const github = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(93228));
-function configAuthentication(registryUrl, alwaysAuth) {
+function configAuthentication(registryUrl) {
     const npmrc = path.resolve(process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] || process.cwd(), '.npmrc');
     if (!registryUrl.endsWith('/')) {
         registryUrl += '/';
     }
-    writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl, npmrc, alwaysAuth);
+    writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl, npmrc);
 }
 exports.configAuthentication = configAuthentication;
-function writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl, fileLocation, alwaysAuth) {
+function writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl, fileLocation) {
     let scope = core.getInput('scope');
     if (!scope && registryUrl.indexOf('npm.pkg.github.com') > -1) {
         scope = github.context.repo.owner;
@@ -98547,8 +98547,7 @@ function writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl, fileLocation, alwaysAuth) {
     // Remove http: or https: from front of registry.
     const authString = registryUrl.replace(/(^\w+:|^)/, '') + ':_authToken=${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}';
     const registryString = `${scope}registry=${registryUrl}`;
-    const alwaysAuthString = `always-auth=${alwaysAuth}`;
-    newContents += `${authString}${os.EOL}${registryString}${os.EOL}${alwaysAuthString}`;
+    newContents += `${authString}${os.EOL}${registryString}`;
     fs.writeFileSync(fileLocation, newContents);
     core.exportVariable('NPM_CONFIG_USERCONFIG', fileLocation);
     // Export empty node_auth_token if didn't exist so npm doesn't complain about not being able to find it
@@ -99782,9 +99781,8 @@ function run() {
             }
             yield (0, util_1.printEnvDetailsAndSetOutput)();
             const registryUrl = core.getInput('registry-url');
-            const alwaysAuth = core.getInput('always-auth');
             if (registryUrl) {
-                auth.configAuthentication(registryUrl, alwaysAuth);
+                auth.configAuthentication(registryUrl);
             }
             const cacheDependencyPath = core.getInput('cache-dependency-path');
             if ((0, cache_utils_1.isCacheFeatureAvailable)()) {
diff --git a/docs/advanced-usage.md b/docs/advanced-usage.md
index d238f4a8..851e261b 100644
--- a/docs/advanced-usage.md
+++ b/docs/advanced-usage.md
@@ -446,9 +446,6 @@ To access private GitHub Packages within the same organization, go to "Manage Ac
 
 Please refer to the [Ensuring workflow access to your package - Configuring a package's access control and visibility](https://docs.github.com/en/packages/learn-github-packages/configuring-a-packages-access-control-and-visibility#ensuring-workflow-access-to-your-package) for more details.
 
-### always-auth input
-The always-auth input sets `always-auth=true` in .npmrc file. With this option set [npm](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v6/using-npm/config#always-auth)/yarn sends the authentication credentials when making a request to the registries.
-
 ## Use private mirror
 
 It is possible to use a private mirror hosting Node.js binaries. This mirror must be a full mirror of the official Node.js distribution.
diff --git a/src/authutil.ts b/src/authutil.ts
index 2ce94939..e4b823bd 100644
--- a/src/authutil.ts
+++ b/src/authutil.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 import * as core from '@actions/core';
 import * as github from '@actions/github';
 
-export function configAuthentication(registryUrl: string, alwaysAuth: string) {
+export function configAuthentication(registryUrl: string) {
   const npmrc: string = path.resolve(
     process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] || process.cwd(),
     '.npmrc'
@@ -13,14 +13,10 @@ export function configAuthentication(registryUrl: string, alwaysAuth: string) {
     registryUrl += '/';
   }
 
-  writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl, npmrc, alwaysAuth);
+  writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl, npmrc);
 }
 
-function writeRegistryToFile(
-  registryUrl: string,
-  fileLocation: string,
-  alwaysAuth: string
-) {
+function writeRegistryToFile(registryUrl: string, fileLocation: string) {
   let scope: string = core.getInput('scope');
   if (!scope && registryUrl.indexOf('npm.pkg.github.com') > -1) {
     scope = github.context.repo.owner;
@@ -47,8 +43,7 @@ function writeRegistryToFile(
   const authString: string =
     registryUrl.replace(/(^\w+:|^)/, '') + ':_authToken=${NODE_AUTH_TOKEN}';
   const registryString = `${scope}registry=${registryUrl}`;
-  const alwaysAuthString = `always-auth=${alwaysAuth}`;
-  newContents += `${authString}${os.EOL}${registryString}${os.EOL}${alwaysAuthString}`;
+  newContents += `${authString}${os.EOL}${registryString}`;
   fs.writeFileSync(fileLocation, newContents);
   core.exportVariable('NPM_CONFIG_USERCONFIG', fileLocation);
   // Export empty node_auth_token if didn't exist so npm doesn't complain about not being able to find it
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 07871150..4afbd293 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -62,9 +62,8 @@ export async function run() {
     await printEnvDetailsAndSetOutput();
 
     const registryUrl: string = core.getInput('registry-url');
-    const alwaysAuth: string = core.getInput('always-auth');
     if (registryUrl) {
-      auth.configAuthentication(registryUrl, alwaysAuth);
+      auth.configAuthentication(registryUrl);
     }
 
     const cacheDependencyPath = core.getInput('cache-dependency-path');